Chaucer's Works, Volume 4 — The Canterbury Tales (part 4 of 4)

Chaucer's Works, Volume 4 — The Canterbury Tales (part 4 of 4)

§ 30. After Pryde wol I speken of the foule sinne of Envye, which is, as by the word of the philosophre, sorwe of other mannes prosperitee; and after the word of seint Augustin, it is sorwe of other mannes wele, and Ioye of othere mennes harm. / This foule sinne is platly agayns the holy goost. Al-be-it so that every sinne is agayns the holy goost, yet nathelees, for as muche as bountee aperteneth proprely to the holy goost, and Envye comth proprely of malice, therfore it is proprely agayn the bountee of the holy goost. /485 Now hath malice two speces, that is to seyn, hardnesse of herte in wikkednesse, or elles the flesh of man is so blind, that he considereth nat that he is in sinne, or rekketh nat that he is in sinne; which is the hardnesse of the devel. / That other spece of malice is, whan a man werreyeth trouthe, whan he woot that it is trouthe. And eek, whan he werreyeth the grace that god hath yeve to his neighebore; and al this is by Envye. / Certes, thanne is Envye the worste sinne that is. For soothly, alle othere sinnes been som-tyme only agayns o special vertu; / but certes, Envye is agayns alle vertues and agayns alle goodnesses; for it is [599] sory of alle the bountees of his neighebore; and in this manere it is divers from alle othere sinnes. / For wel unnethe is ther any sinne that it ne hath som delyt in itself, save only Envye, that evere hath in itself anguish and sorwe. /490 The speces of Envye been thise: ther is first, sorwe of other mannes goodnesse and of his prosperitee; and prosperitee is kindely matere of Ioye; thanne is Envye a sinne agayns kinde. / The seconde spece of Envye is Ioye of other mannes harm; and that is proprely lyk to the devel, that evere reioyseth him of mannes harm. / Of thise two speces comth bakbyting; and this sinne of bakbyting or detraccion hath certeine speces, as thus. Som man preiseth his neighebore by a wikke entente; / for he maketh alwey a wikked knotte atte laste ende. Alwey he maketh a ‘but’ atte laste ende, that is digne of more blame, than worth is al the preisinge. / The seconde spece is, that if a man be good and dooth or seith a thing to good entente, the bakbyter wol turne all thilke goodnesse up-so-doun to his shrewed entente. /495 The thridde is, to amenuse the bountee of his neighebore. / The fourthe spece of bakbyting is this; that if men speke goodnesse of a man, thanne wol the bakbyter seyn, ‘parfey, swich a man is yet bet than he’; in dispreisinge of him that men preise. / The fifte spece is this; for to consente gladly and herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of other folk. This sinne is ful greet, and ay encreseth after the wikked entente of the bakbyter. / After bakbyting cometh grucching or murmuracion; and somtyme it springeth of inpacience agayns god, and somtyme agayns man. / Agayns god it is, whan a man gruccheth agayn the peynes of helle, or agayns poverte, or los of catel, or agayn reyn or tempest; or elles gruccheth that shrewes han prosperitee, or elles for that goode men han adversitee. /500 And alle thise thinges sholde men suffre paciently, for they comen by the rightful Iugement and ordinance of god. / Som-tyme comth grucching of avarice; as Iudas grucched agayns the Magdaleyne, whan she enoynte the heved of oure lord Iesu Crist with hir precious oynement. / This maner murmure is swich as whan man gruccheth of goodnesse that him-self dooth, or that other folk doon of hir owene catel. / Som-tyme comth murmure of pryde; as whan Simon the Pharisee grucched agayn the Magdaleyne, whan she approched to Iesu Crist, and weep at his feet for hir sinnes. / [600] And somtyme grucching sourdeth of Envye; whan men discovereth a mannes harm that was privee, or bereth him on hond thing that is fals. /505 Murmure eek is ofte amonges servaunts, that grucchen whan hir sovereyns bidden hem doon leveful thinges; / and, for-as-muche as they dar nat openly withseye the comaundements of hir sovereyns, yet wol they seyn harm, and grucche, and murmure prively for verray despyt; / whiche wordes men clepen the develes Pater-noster, though so be that the devel ne hadde nevere Pater-noster, but that lewed folk yeven it swich a name. / Som tyme grucching comth of ire or prive hate, that norisseth rancour in herte, as afterward I shal declare. / Thanne cometh eek bitternesse of herte; thurgh which bitternesse every good dede of his neighebor semeth to him bitter and unsavory. /510 Thanne cometh discord, that unbindeth alle manere of frendshipe. Thanne comth scorninge, as whan a man seketh occasioun to anoyen his neighebor, al do he never so weel. / Thanne comth accusinge, as whan man seketh occasion to anoyen his neighebor, which that is lyk to the craft of the devel, that waiteth bothe night and day to accusen us alle. / Thanne comth malignitee, thurgh which a man anoyeth his neighebor prively if he may; / and if he noght may, algate his wikked wil ne shal nat wante, as for to brennen his hous prively, or empoysone or sleen hise bestes, and semblable thinges. /

485. E. om. foule. E. om. 1st and 3rd goost. 486. Cm. hardynesse (twice). 487. E. speche (for spece); Hn. spece; rest spice. E. malice (and so Selden MS., rightly); rest enuye. 497. parfey] E. pardee. 500. E. om. or after catel. 502. E. Hn. enoynte; Cm. Hl. anoynted; Pt. ennoynted. 506. E. seruauntz. Cm. lefful; Pt. Hl. leeful. 507. E. comaundementz. 511. Cm. scornynge as whanne a man sekyth occasioun to anoyen his; rest scornynge of his (merely).

=Remedium contra peccatum Inuidie.=

§ 31. Now wol I speke of the remedie agayns this foule sinne of Envye. First, is the love of god principal, and loving of his neighebor as him-self; for soothly, that oon ne may nat been withoute that other. /515 And truste wel, that in the name of thy neighebore thou shalt understonde the name of thy brother; for certes alle we have o fader fleshly, and o moder, that is to seyn, Adam and Eve; and eek o fader espirituel, and that is god of hevene. / Thy neighebore artow holden for to love, and wilne him alle goodnesse; and therfore seith god, ‘love thy neighebore as thyselve,’ that is to seyn, to salvacion bothe of lyf and of soule. / And more-over, thou shalt love him in word, and in benigne amonestinge, and chastysinge; and conforten him in hise anoyes, and preye [601] for him with al thyn herte. / And in dede thou shall love him in swich wyse, that thou shalt doon to him in charitee as thou woldest that it were doon to thyn owene persone. / And therfore, thou ne shalt doon him no damage in wikked word, ne harm in his body, ne in his catel, ne in his soule, by entysing of wikked ensample. /520 Thou shalt nat desyren his wyf, ne none of hise thinges. Understond eek, that in the name of neighebor is comprehended his enemy. / Certes man shal loven his enemy by the comandement of god; and soothly thy frend shaltow love in God. / I seye, thyn enemy shaltow love for goddes sake, by his comandement. For if it were reson that a man sholde haten his enemy, for sothe god nolde nat receiven us to his love that been hise enemys. / Agayns three manere of wronges that his enemy dooth to hym, he shal doon three thinges, as thus. / Agayns hate and rancour of herte, he shal love him in herte. Agayns chyding and wikkede wordes, he shal preye for his enemy. And agayn the wikked dede of his enemy, he shal doon him bountee. /525 For Crist seith, ‘loveth youre enemys, and preyeth for hem that speke yow harm; and eek for hem that yow chacen and pursewen, and doth bountee to hem that yow haten.’ Lo, thus comaundeth us oure lord Iesu Crist, to do to oure enemys. / For soothly, nature dryveth us to loven oure freendes, and parfey, oure enemys han more nede to love than oure freendes; and they that more nede have, certes, to hem shal men doon goodnesse; / and certes, in thilke dede have we remembrance of the love of Iesu Crist, that deyde for hise enemys. / And in-as-muche as thilke love is the more grevous to perfourne, in-so-muche is the more gretter the merite; and therfore the lovinge of oure enemy hath confounded the venim of the devel. / For right as the devel is disconfited by humilitee, right so is he wounded to the deeth by love of oure enemy. /530 Certes, thanne is love the medicine that casteth out the venim of Envye fro mannes herte. / The speces of this pas shullen be more largely in hir chapitres folwinge declared. /

515. this] E. the. love] E. louynge. 516. E. espiritueel. 517. E. om. bothe. 520. E. entissyng. 521. E. Hn. Vnderstoond. 524. wronges] E. thinges. 525. E. om. the. 529. Ln. Hl. parforme; Pt. perfourme. 532. E. paas; Hl. pa_r_t; rest pas.

=Sequitur de Ira.=

§ 32. After Envye wol I discryven the sinne of Ire. For soothly, who-so hath envye upon his neighebor, anon he wole comunly [602] finde him a matere of wratthe, in word or in dede, agayns him to whom he hath envye. / And as wel comth Ire of Pryde, as of Envye; for soothly, he that is proude or envious is lightly wrooth. /

533. Hn. Pt. Ln. om. a bef. matere.

§ 33. This sinne of Ire, after the discryving of seint Augustin, is wikked wil to been avenged by word or by dede. /535 Ire, after the philosophre, is the fervent blood of man y-quiked in his herte, thurgh which he wole harm to him that he hateth. / For certes the herte of man, by eschaufinge and moevinge of his blood, wexeth so trouble, that he is out of alle Iugement of resoun. / But ye shal understonde that Ire is in two maneres; that oon of hem is good, and that other is wikked. / The gode Ire is by Ialousye of goodnesse, thurgh which a man is wrooth with wikkednesse and agayns wikkednesse; and therfore seith a wys man, that ‘Ire is bet than pley.’ / This Ire is with debonairetee, and it is wrooth withouten bitternesse; nat wrooth agayns the man, but wrooth with the misdede of the man; as seith the prophete David, Irascimini et nolite peccare. /540 Now understondeth, that wikked Ire is in two maneres, that is to seyn, sodeyn Ire or hastif Ire, withouten avisement and consentinge of resoun. / The mening and the sens of this is, that the resoun of man ne consente nat to thilke sodeyn Ire; and thanne it is venial. / Another Ire is ful wikked, that comth of felonye of herte avysed and cast biforn; with wikked wil to do vengeance, and therto his resoun consenteth; and soothly this is deedly sinne. / This Ire is so displesant to god, that it troubleth his hous and chaceth the holy goost out of mannes soule, and wasteth and destroyeth the lyknesse of god, that is to seyn, the vertu that is in mannes soule; / and put in him the lyknesse of the devel, and binimeth the man fro god that is his rightful lord. /545 This Ire is a ful greet plesaunce to the devel; for it is the develes fourneys, that is eschaufed with the fyr of helle. / For certes, right so as fyr is more mighty to destroyen erthely thinges than any other element, right so Ire is mighty to destroyen alle spirituel thinges. / Loke how that fyr of smale gledes, that been almost dede under asshen, wollen quike agayn whan they been touched with brimstoon; right so Ire wol everemo quiken agayn, whan it is touched by the pryde that is covered in mannes herte. / For certes fyr ne may nat comen out of no-thing, but-if it were first in the same thing naturelly; as fyr is drawen out of flintes [603] with steel. / And right so as pryde is ofte tyme matere of Ire, right so is rancour norice and keper of Ire. /550 Ther is a maner tree, as seith seint Isidre, that whan men maken fyr of thilke tree, and covere the coles of it with asshen, soothly the fyr of it wol lasten al a yeer or more. / And right so fareth it of rancour; whan it is ones conceyved in the hertes of som men, certein, it wol lasten peraventure from oon Estre-day unto another Estre-day, and more. / But certes, thilke man is ful fer fro the mercy of god al thilke while. /

547. E. spiritueel. 549. E. natureelly. 551. E. fire. 553. E. in (for al).

§ 34. In this forseyde develes fourneys ther forgen three shrewes: Pryde, that ay bloweth and encreseth the fyr by chydinge and wikked wordes. / Thanne stant Envye, and holdeth the hote iren upon the herte of man with a peire of longe tonges of long rancour. /555 And thanne stant the sinne of contumelie or stryf and cheeste, and batereth and forgeth by vileyns reprevinges. / Certes, this cursed sinne anoyeth bothe to the man him-self and eek to his neighebor. For soothly, almost al the harm that any man dooth to his neighebore comth of wratthe. / For certes, outrageous wratthe doth al that evere the devel him comaundeth; for he ne spareth neither Crist, ne his swete mooder. / And in his outrageous anger and Ire, allas! allas! ful many oon at that tyme feleth in his herte ful wikkedly, bothe of Crist and of alle hise halwes. / Is nat this a cursed vice? Yis, certes. Allas! it binimeth from man his wit and his resoun, and al his debonaire lyf espirituel that sholde kepen his soule. /560 Certes, it binimeth eek goddes due lordshipe, and that is mannes soule, and the love of hise neighebores. It stryveth eek alday agayn trouthe. It reveth him the quiete of his herte, and subverteth his soule. /

554. E. encreesseth. 555. E. toonges. 558. Hl. om. swete. 560. E. espiritueel.

§ 35. Of Ire comen thise stinkinge engendrures: first hate, that is old wratthe; discord, thurgh which a man forsaketh his olde freend that he hath loved ful longe. / And thanne cometh werre, and every manere of wrong that man dooth to his neighebore, in body or in catel. / Of this cursed sinne of Ire cometh eek manslaughtre. And understonde wel, that homicyde, that is manslaughtre, is in dyverse wyse. Som manere of homicyde is spirituel, and som is bodily. / Spirituel manslaughtre is in six [604] thinges. First, by hate; as seint Iohn seith, ‘he that hateth his brother is homicyde.’ /565 Homicyde is eek by bakbytinge; of whiche bakbyteres seith Salomon, that ‘they han two swerdes with whiche they sleen hir neighebores.’ For soothly, as wikke is to binime his good name as his lyf. / Homicyde is eek, in yevinge of wikked conseil by fraude; as for to yeven conseil to areysen wrongful custumes and taillages. / Of whiche seith Salomon, ‘Leon rorynge and bere hongry been lyke to the cruel lordshipes,’ in withholdinge or abregginge of the shepe (or the hyre), or of the wages of servaunts, or elles in usure or in withdrawinge of the almesse of povre folk. / For which the wyse man seith, ‘fedeth him that almost dyeth for honger’; for soothly, but-if thou fede him, thou sleest him; and alle thise been deadly sinnes. / Bodily manslaughtre is, whan thow sleest him with thy tonge in other manere; as whan thou comandest to sleen a man, or elles yevest him conseil to sleen a man. /570 Manslaughtre in dede is in foure maneres. That oon is by lawe; right as a Iustice dampneth him that is coupable to the deeth. But lat the Iustice be war that he do it rightfully, and that he do it nat for delyt to spille blood, but for kepinge of rightwisenesse. / Another homicyde is, that is doon for necessitee, as whan o man sleeth another in his defendaunt, and that he ne may noon otherwise escape from his owene deeth. / But certeinly, if he may escape withouten manslaughtre of his adversarie, and sleeth him, he doth sinne, and he shal bere penance as for deedly sinne. / Eek if a man, by caas or aventure, shete an arwe or caste a stoon with which he sleeth a man, he is homicyde. / Eek if a womman by necligence overlyeth hir child in hir sleping, it is homicyde and deedly sinne. /575 Eek whan man destourbeth concepcion of a child, and maketh a womman outher bareyne by drinkinge venemouse herbes, thurgh which she may nat conceyve, or sleeth a child by drinkes wilfully, or elles putteth certeine material thinges in hir secree places to slee the child; / or elles doth unkindely sinne, by which man or womman shedeth hir nature in manere or in place ther-as a child may nat be conceived; or elles, if a womman have conceyved and hurt hir-self, [605] and sleeth the child, yet is it homicyde. / What seye we eek of wommen that mordren hir children for drede of worldly shame? Certes, an horrible homicyde. / Homicyde is eek if a man approcheth to a womman by desir of lecherye, thurgh which the child is perissed, or elles smyteth a womman witingly, thurgh which she leseth hir child. Alle thise been homicydes and horrible deedly sinnes. / Yet comen ther of Ire manye mo sinnes, as wel in word as in thoght and in dede; as he that arretteth upon god, or blameth god, of thing of which he is him-self gilty; or despyseth god and alle hise halwes, as doon thise cursede hasardours in diverse contrees. /580 This cursed sinne doon they, whan they felen in hir hertes ful wikkedly of god and of hise halwes. / Also, whan they treten unreverently the sacrement of the auter, thilke sinne is so greet, that unnethe may it been relesed, but that the mercy of god passeth alle hise werkes; it is so greet and he so benigne. / Thanne comth of Ire attry angre; whan a man is sharply amonested in his shrifte to forleten his sinne, / than wole he be angry and answeren hokerly and angrily, and deffenden or excusen his sinne by unstedefastnesse of his flesh; or elles he dide it for to holde companye with hise felawes, or elles, he seith, the fend entyced him; / or elles he dide it for his youthe, or elles his complexioun is so corageous, that he may nat forbere; or elles it is his destinee, as he seith, unto a certein age; or elles, he seith, it cometh him of gentillesse of hise auncestres; and semblable thinges. /585 Alle this manere of folk so wrappen hem in hir sinnes, that they ne wol nat delivere hem-self. For soothly, no wight that excuseth him wilfully of his sinne may nat been delivered of his sinne, til that he mekely biknoweth his sinne. / After this, thanne cometh swering, that is expres agayn the comandement of god; and this bifalleth ofte of anger and of Ire. / God seith: ‘thou shalt nat take the name of thy lord god in veyn or in ydel.’ Also oure lord Iesu Crist seith by the word of seint Mathew: ‘Nolite iurare omnino: / ne wol ye nat swere in alle manere; neither by hevene, for it is goddes trone; ne by erthe, for it is the bench of his feet; ne by Ierusalem, for it is the citee of a greet king; ne by thyn heed, for thou mayst nat make an heer whyt ne blak. / But seyeth by youre word, “ye, ye,” and “nay, nay”; and what [606] that is more, it is of yvel,’ seith Crist. /590 For Cristes sake, ne swereth nat so sinfully, in dismembringe of Crist by soule, herte, bones, and body. For certes, it semeth that ye thinke that the cursede Iewes ne dismembred nat y-nough the preciouse persone of Crist, but ye dismembre him more. / And if so be that the lawe compelle yow to swere, thanne rule yow after the lawe of god in youre swering, as seith Ieremye quarto capitulo, ‘Iurabis in veritate, in iudido et in iustida: thou shalt kepe three condicions; thou shalt swere in trouthe, in doom, and in rightwisnesse.’ / This is to seyn, thou shalt swere sooth; for every lesinge is agayns Crist. For Crist is verray trouthe. And think wel this, that every greet swerere, nat compelled lawefully to swere, the wounde shal nat departe from his hous whyl he useth swich unleveful swering. / Thou shalt sweren eek in doom, whan thou art constreyned by thy domesman to witnessen the trouthe. / Eek thou shalt nat swere for envye ne for favour, ne for mede, but for rightwisnesse; for declaracioun of it to the worship of god and helping of thyne evene-cristene. /595 And therfore, every man that taketh goddes name in ydel, or falsly swereth with his mouth, or elles taketh on him the name of Crist, to be called a Cristene man, and liveth agayns Cristes livinge and his techinge, alle they taken goddes name in ydel. / Loke eek what seint Peter seith, Actuum quarto capitulo, ‘Non est aliud nomen sub celo,’ &c. ‘Ther nis noon other name,’ seith seint Peter, ‘under hevene, yeven to men, in which they mowe be saved;’ that is to seyn, but the name of Iesu Crist. / Take kepe eek how that the precious name of Crist, as seith seint Paul ad Philipenses secundo, ‘In nomine Iesu, &c.: that in the name of Iesu every knee of hevenely creatures, or erthely, or of helle sholden bowe’; for it is so heigh and so worshipful, that the cursede feend in helle sholde tremblen to heren it y-nempned. / Thanne semeth it, that men that sweren so horribly by his blessed name, that they despyse him more boldely than dide the cursede Iewes, or elles the devel, that trembleth whan he hereth his name. /

562. E. om. that he hath loved. 564, 565. E. spiritueel. 565. Pt. Hl. an homicide. 566. E. the (for 2nd they). 568. E. crueel. Hl. Ln. schipe. E. vsures. 570. Hl. om. him before conseil. 572. Hl. him (for in his). 576. E. Cm. venenouse; Hl. venenous. Hl. place. 577. -self] E. child. 577. is it] E. it is. 582. E. releessed. 585. E. conplecciou_n_. 588. Christchurch MS. Nolite—omnino; and in margin of E.; rest om. 589. Ln. throne. 592. E. (in margin) Iurabis—iusticia; Chr. (in text); rest om. 593. Hl. wonder (for wounde!). 595. E. and for declaracioun; Chr. for declaracioun; Cm. Pt. Ln. Hl. for declarynge. 597. Cm. cº; Hl. caº (i.e. capitulo); rest om. 599. E. horriblely.

§ 36. Now certes, sith that swering, but-if it be lawefully doon, [607] is so heighly deffended, muche worse is forswering falsly, and yet nedelees. /600

§ 37. What seye we eek of hem that delyten hem in swering, and holden it a gentrie or a manly dede to swere grete othes? And what of hem that, of verray usage, ne cesse nat to swere grete othes, al be the cause nat worth a straw? Certes, this is horrible sinne. / Sweringe sodeynly with-oute avysement is eek a sinne. / But lat us go now to thilke horrible swering of adiuracioun and coniuracioun, as doon thise false enchauntours or nigromanciens in bacins ful of water, or in a bright swerd, in a cercle, or in a fyr, or in a shulder-boon of a sheep. / I can nat seye but that they doon cursedly and damnably, agayns Crist and al the feith of holy chirche. /

601. E. it (for this). 603. E. Nigromanens. 604. E. damnablely.

§ 38. What seye we of hem that bileven in divynailes, as by flight or by noyse of briddes, or of bestes, or by sort, by geomancie, by dremes, by chirkinge of dores, or crakkinge of houses, by gnawynge of rattes, and swich manere wrecchednesse? /605 Certes, al this thing is deffended by god and by al holy chirche. For which they been acursed, til they come to amendement, that on swich filthe setten hir bileve. / Charmes for woundes or maladye of men, or of bestes, if they taken any effect, it may be peraventure that god suffreth it, for folk sholden yeve the more feith and reverence to his name. /

605. Cm. Pt. dyuynalis. Hl. crakking; Ln. crakkeynge; E. Cm. Cp. Pt. crakynge. 607. E. Pt. om. may.

§ 39. Now wol I speken of lesinges, which generally is fals significacioun of word, in entente to deceyven his evene-cristene. / Som lesinge is of which ther comth noon avantage to no wight: and som lesinge turneth to the ese or profit of o man, and to disese and damage of another man. / Another lesinge is for to saven his lyf or his catel. Another lesinge comth of delyt for to lye, in which delyt they wol forge a long tale, and peynten it with alle circumstaunces, where al the ground of the tale is fals. /610 Som lesinge comth, for he wole sustene his word; and som lesinge comth of recchelesnesse, with-outen avysement; and semblable thinges. /

609. E. and (for or); Pt. either. 610. Selden, Pt. lesinge is; rest om. is. All but Selden, Pt. Ln. om. 2nd Another lesinge.

§ 40. Lat us now touche the vyce of flateringe, which ne comth nat gladly but for drede or for coveitise. / Flaterye is generally wrongful preisinge. Flatereres been the develes norices, that [608] norissen hise children with milk of losengerie. / For sothe, Salomon seith, that ‘flaterie is wors than detraccioun.’ For som-tyme detraccion maketh an hautein man be the more humble, for he dredeth detraccion; but certes flaterye, that maketh a man to enhauncen his herte and his contenaunce. / Flatereres been the develes enchauntours; for they make a man to wene of him-self be lyk that he nis nat lyk. /615 They been lyk to Iudas that bitraysed [god; and thise flatereres bitraysen] a man to sellen him to his enemy, that is, to the devel. / Flatereres been the develes chapelleyns, that singen evere Placebo. / I rekene flaterye in the vyces of Ire; for ofte tyme, if o man be wrooth with another, thanne wol he flatere som wight to sustene him in his querele. /

615. E. the (for they). 616. All 7 MSS. om. god ... bitraysen. E. hise. 618. E. flarie (for flaterye).

§ 41. Speke we now of swich cursinge as comth of irous herte. Malisoun generally may be seyd every maner power or harm. Swich cursinge bireveth man fro the regne of god, as seith seint Paul. / And ofte tyme swich cursinge wrongfully retorneth agayn to him that curseth, as a brid that retorneth agayn to his owene nest. /620 And over alle thing men oghten eschewe to cursen hir children, and yeven to the devel hir engendrure, as ferforth as in hem is; certes, it is greet peril and greet sinne. /

§ 42. Lat us thanne speken of chydinge and reproche, whiche been ful grete woundes in mannes herte; for they unsowen the semes of frendshipe in mannes herte. / For certes, unnethes may a man pleynly been accorded with him that hath him openly revyled and repreved in disclaundre. This is a ful grisly sinne, as Crist seith in the gospel. / And tak kepe now, that he that repreveth his neighebor, outher he repreveth him by som harm of peyne that he hath on his body, as ‘mesel,’ ‘croked harlot,’ or by som sinne that he dooth. / Now if he repreve him by harm of peyne, thanne turneth the repreve to Iesu Crist; for peyne is sent by the rightwys sonde of god, and by his suffrance, be it meselrie, or maheym, or maladye. /625 And if he repreve him uncharitably of sinne, as, ‘thou holour,’ ‘thou dronkelewe harlot,’ and so forth; thanne aperteneth that to the reioysinge of the devel, that evere hath Ioye that men doon sinne. / And certes, chydinge may nat come but out of a vileyns herte. For after the habundance of the herte speketh the mouth ful ofte. / And ye shul understonde [609] that loke, by any wey, whan any man shal chastyse another, that he be war from chydinge or reprevinge. For trewely, but he be war, he may ful lightly quiken the fyr of angre and of wratthe, which that he sholde quenche, and per-aventure sleeth him which that he mighte chastyse with benignitee. / For as seith Salomon, ‘the amiable tonge is the tree of lyf,’ that is to seyn, of lyf espirituel: and sothly, a deslavee tonge sleeth the spirites of him that repreveth, and eek of him that is repreved. / Lo, what seith seint Augustin: ‘ther is no-thing so lyk the develes child as he that ofte chydeth.’ Seint Paul seith eek: ‘I, servant of god, bihove nat to chyde.’ /630 And how that chydinge be a vileyns thing bitwixe alle manere folk, yet it is certes most uncovenable bitwixe a man and his wyf; for there is nevere reste. And therfore seith Salomon, ‘an hous that is uncovered and droppinge, and a chydinge wyf, been lyke.’ / A man that is in a droppinge hous in many places, though he eschewe the droppinge in o place, it droppeth on him in another place; so fareth it by a chydinge wyf. But she chyde him in o place, she wol chyde him in another. / And therfore, ‘bettre is a morsel of breed with Ioye than an hous ful of delyces, with chydinge,’ seith Salomon. / Seint Paul seith: ‘O ye wommen, be ye subgetes to youre housbondes as bihoveth in god; and ye men, loveth youre wyves.’ Ad Colossenses, tertio. /

623. E. in disclaundre; rest and desclaundered. 624. E. taak. 625. Ln. mayme; Cm. Pt. maym. 626. E. om. thou holour. 628. or] E. and. 629. E. espiritueel. Hn. deslaue; Cm. Ln. Hl. dislaue; Pt. disselaue. 630. Cm. Selden, behoue; rest byhoueth (!). 632. E. manye. 634. E. om. as ... god. E. Colonienses; Cm. Colonienes; Hn. Pt. Colonisenses; Ln. Clonicenses; Hl. Colocenses.

§ 43. Afterward speke we of scorninge, which is a wikked sinne; and namely, whan he scorneth a man for hise gode werkes. /635 For certes, swiche scorneres faren lyk the foule tode, that may nat endure to smelle the sote savour of the vyne whanne it florissheth. / Thise scorneres been parting felawes with the devel; for they han Ioye whan the devel winneth, and sorwe whan he leseth. / They been adversaries of Iesu Crist; for they haten that he loveth, that is to seyn, salvacion of soule. /

§ 44. Speke we now of wikked conseil; for he that wikked conseil yeveth is a traytour. For he deceyveth him that trusteth in him, ut Achitofel ad Absolonem. But natheless, yet is his wikked conseil first agayn him-self. / For, as seith the wyse man, [610] every fals livinge hath this propertee in him-self, that he that wole anoye another man, he anoyeth first him-self. /640 And men shul understonde, that man shal nat taken his conseil of fals folk, ne of angry folk, or grevous folk, ne of folk that loven specially to muchel hir owene profit, ne to muche worldly folk, namely, in conseilinge of soules. /

639. E. om. 2nd for. 640. All lyuynge (levyng, leueyng); after which Selden (alone) adds man. Selden, Ln. Hl. this; rest his. 641. E. Hn. om. ne of folk.

§ 45. Now comth the sinne of hem that sowen and maken discord amonges folk, which is a sinne that Crist hateth outrely; and no wonder is. For he deyde for to make concord. / And more shame do they to Crist, than dide they that him crucifyede; for god loveth bettre, that frendshipe be amonges folk, than he dide his owene body, the which that he yaf for unitee. Therfore been they lykned to the devel, that evere been aboute to maken discord. /

643. E. been; Hl. ben (before aboute); rest is.

§ 46. Now comth the sinne of double tonge; swiche as speken faire biforn folk, and wikkedly bihinde; or elles they maken semblant as though they speke of good entencioun, or elles in game and pley, and yet they speke of wikked entente. /

644. E. speeke (1st time); Hn. Hl. speke; Cm. spoke; Pt. speken; Ln. spake.

§ 47. Now comth biwreying of conseil, thurgh which a man is defamed; certes, unnethe may he restore the damage. /645

Now comth manace, that is an open folye; for he that ofte manaceth, he threteth more than he may perfourne ful ofte tyme. /

Now cometh ydel wordes, that is with-outen profit of him that speketh tho wordes, and eek of him that herkneth tho wordes. Or elles ydel wordes been tho that been nedelees, or with-outen entente of naturel profit. / And al-be-it that ydel wordes been som tyme venial sinne, yet sholde men douten hem; for we shul yeve rekeninge of hem bifore god. /

647. E. natureel.

Now comth Ianglinge, that may nat been withoute sinne. And, as seith Salomon, ‘it is a sinne of apert folye.’ / And therfore a philosophre seyde, whan men axed him how that men sholde plese the peple; and he answerde, ‘do many gode werkes, and spek fewe Iangles.’ /650

After this comth the sinne of Iaperes, that been the develes apes; for they maken folk to laughe at hir Iaperie, as folk doon at [611] the gaudes of an ape. Swiche Iaperes deffendeth seint Paul. / Loke how that vertuouse wordes and holy conforten hem that travaillen in the service of Crist; right so conforten the vileyns wordes and knakkes of Iaperis hem that travaillen in the service of the devel. / Thise been the sinnes that comen of the tonge, that comen of Ire and of othere sinnes mo. /

651. Hl. Pt. Ln. Suche iapes. 652. E. adds woordes (after holy).

=Sequitur remedium contra peccatum Ire.=

§ 48. The remedye agayns Ire is a vertu that men clepen Mansuetude, that is Debonairetee; and eek another vertu, that men callen Pacience or Suffrance. /

654. Cm. (only) that Ihon de Bonania clepith debonayretee.

§ 49. Debonairetee withdraweth and refreyneth the stiringes and the moevynges of mannes corage in his herte, in swich manere that they ne skippe nat out by angre ne by Ire. /655 Suffrance suffreth swetely alle the anoyaunces and the wronges that men doon to man outward. / Seint Ierome seith thus of debonairetee, that ‘it doth noon harm to no wight, ne seith; ne for noon harm that men doon or seyn, he ne eschaufeth nat agayns, his resoun.’ / This vertu som-tyme comth of nature; for, as seith the philosophre, ‘a man is a quik thing, by nature debonaire and tretable to goodnesse; but whan debonairetee is enformed of grace, thanne is it the more worth.’ /

§ 50. Pacience, that is another remedye agayns Ire, is a vertu that suffreth swetely every mannes goodnesse, and is nat wrooth for noon harm that is doon to him. / The philosophre seith, that ‘pacience is thilke vertu that suffreth debonairely alle the outrages of adversitee and every wikked word.’ /660 This vertu maketh a man lyk to god, and maketh him goddes owene dere child, as seith Crist. This vertu disconfiteth thyn enemy. And therfore seith the wyse man, ‘if thou wolt venquisse thyn enemy, lerne to suffre.’ / And thou shalt understonde, that man suffreth foure manere of grevances in outward thinges, agayns the whiche foure he moot have foure manere of paciences. /

659. E. Ln. it is a; rest is a.

§ 51. The firste grevance is of wikkede wordes; thilke suffrede Iesu Crist with-outen grucching, ful paciently, whan the Iewes despysed and repreved him ful ofte. / Suffre thou therfore paciently; for the wyse man seith: ‘if thou stryve with a [612] fool, though the fool be wrooth or though he laughe, algate thou shalt have no reste.’ / That other grevance outward is to have damage of thy catel. Ther-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently, whan he was despoyled of al that he hadde in this lyf, and that nas but hise clothes. /665 The thridde grevance is a man to have harm in his body. That suffred Crist ful paciently in al his passioun. / The fourthe grevance is in outrageous labour in werkes. Wherfore I seye, that folk that maken hir servants to travaillen to grevously, or out of tyme, as on halydayes, soothly they do greet sinne. / Heer-agayns suffred Crist ful paciently, and taughte us pacience, whan he bar up-on his blissed shulder the croys, up-on which he sholde suffren despitous deeth. / Heer may men lerne to be pacient; for certes, noght only Cristen men been pacient for love of Iesu Crist, and for guerdoun of the blisful lyf that is perdurable; but certes, the olde payens, that nevere were Cristene, commendeden and useden the vertu of pacience. /

668. E. baar. Cm. Ln. cros. 669. Hl. Pt. Ln. guerdoun; E. Cm. gerdoun; Hn. gerdon. E. p_er_durale.

§ 52. A philosophre up-on a tyme, that wolde have beten his disciple for his grete trespas, for which he was greetly amoeved, and broghte a yerde to scourge the child; /670 and whan this child saugh the yerde, he seyde to his maister, ‘what thenke ye to do?’ ‘I wol bete thee,’ quod the maister, ‘for thy correccion.’ / ‘For sothe,’ quod the child, ‘ye oghten first correcte youre-self, that han lost al youre pacience for the gilt of a child.’ / ‘For sothe,’ quod the maister al wepinge, ‘thou seyst sooth; have thou the yerde, my dere sone, and correcte me for myn inpacience.’ / Of Pacience comth Obedience, thurgh which a man is obedient to Crist and to alle hem to whiche he oghte to been obedient in Crist. / And understond wel that obedience is perfit, whan that a man doth gladly and hastily, with good herte entierly, al that he sholde do. /675 Obedience generally, is to perfourne the doctrine of god and of his sovereyns, to whiche him oghte to ben obeisaunt in alle rightwysnesse. /

670. Hn. scourge; E. scoure with; rest scoure(!). 671. Cm. Hl. to do; E. do. Pt. Ln. what wil ye do.

=Sequitur de Accidia.=

§ 53. After the sinnes of Envie and of Ire, now wol I speken of the sinne of Accidie. For Envye blindeth the herte of a man, [613] and Ire troubleth a man; and Accidie maketh him hevy, thoghtful, and wrawe. / Envye and Ire maken bitternesse in herte; which bitternesse is moder of Accidie, and binimeth him the love of alle goodnesse. Thanne is Accidie the anguissh of a trouble herte; and seint Augustin seith: ‘it is anoy of goodnesse and Ioye of harm.’ / Certes, this is a dampnable sinne; for it doth wrong to Iesu Crist, in-as-muche as it binimeth the service that men oghte doon to Crist with alle diligence, as seith Salomon. / But Accidie dooth no swich diligence; he dooth alle thing with anoy, and with wrawnesse, slaknesse, and excusacioun, and with ydelnesse and unlust; for which the book seith: ‘acursed be he that doth the service of god necligently.’ /680 Thanne is Accidie enemy to everich estaat of man; for certes, the estaat of man is in three maneres. / Outher it is thestaat of innocence, as was thestaat of Adam biforn that he fil into sinne; in which estaat he was holden to wirche, as in heryinge and adouringe of god. / Another estaat is the estaat of sinful men, in which estaat men been holden to laboure in preyinge to god for amendement of hir sinnes, and that he wole graunte hem to arysen out of hir sinnes. / Another estaat is thestaat of grace, in which estaat he is holden to werkes of penitence; and certes, to alle thise thinges is Accidie enemy and contrarie. For he loveth no bisinesse at al. / Now certes, this foule sinne Accidie is eek a ful greet enemy to the lyflode of the body; for it ne hath no purveaunce agayn temporel necessitee; for it forsleweth and forsluggeth, and destroyeth alle goodes temporeles by reccheleesnesse. /685

677. Selden, Pt. Ln. sinnes; rest synne. E. om. a after herte of. E. wrawful; Pt. wrowe; rest wrawe. 678. E. Hl. om. a. E. troubled. 683. E. om. the. 685. sinne] E. swyn. E. temporeel (for temporel).

§ 54. The fourthe thinge is, that Accidie is lyk to hem that been in the peyne of helle, by-cause of hir slouthe and of hir hevinesse; for they that been dampned been so bounde, that they ne may neither wel do ne wel thinke. / Of Accidie comth first, that a man is anoyed and encombred for to doon any goodnesse, and maketh that god hath abhominacion of swich Accidie, as seith seint Iohan. /

687. E. om. as ... Iohan.

§ 55. Now comth Slouthe, that wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne no penaunce. For soothly, Slouthe is so tendre, and so delicat, as seith Salomon, that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce, and therfore he shendeth al that he dooth. / Agayns [614] this roten-herted sinne of Accidie and Slouthe sholde men exercise hem-self to doon gode werkes, and manly and vertuously cacchen corage wel to doon; thinkinge that oure lord Iesu Crist quyteth every good dede, be it never so lyte. / Usage of labour is a greet thing; for it maketh, as seith seint Bernard, the laborer to have stronge armes and harde sinwes; and Slouthe maketh hem feble and tendre. /690 Thanne comth drede to biginne to werke any gode werkes; for certes, he that is enclyned to sinne, him thinketh it is so greet an empryse for to undertake to doon werkes of goodnesse, / and casteth in his herte that the circumstaunces of goodnesse been so grevouse and so chargeaunt for to suffre, that he dar nat undertake to do werkes of goodnesse, as seith seint Gregorie. /

688. E. delicaat. 691. E. anye.

§ 56. Now comth wanhope, that is despeir of the mercy of god, that comth somtyme of to muche outrageous sorwe, and somtyme of to muche drede; imagininge that he hath doon so muche sinne, that it wol nat availlen him, though he wolde repenten him and forsake sinne: / thurgh which despeir or drede he abaundoneth al his herte to every maner sinne, as seith seint Augustin. / Which dampnable sinne, if that it continue un-to his ende, it is cleped sinning in the holy gost. /695 This horrible sinne is so perilous, that he that is despeired, ther nis no felonye ne no sinne that he douteth for to do; as shewed wel by Iudas. / Certes, aboven alle sinnes thanne is this sinne most displesant to Crist, and most adversarie. / Soothly, he that despeireth him is lyk the coward champioun recreant, that seith creant withoute nede. Allas! allas! nedeles is he recreant and nedeles despeired. / Certes, the mercy of god is evere redy to every penitent, and is aboven alle hise werkes. / Allas! can nat a man bithinke him on the gospel of seint Luk, 15., where-as Crist seith that ‘as wel shal ther be Ioye in hevene upon a sinful man that doth penitence, as up-on nynety and nyne rightful men that neden no penitence?’ /700 Loke forther, in the same gospel, the Ioye and the feste of the gode man that hadde lost his sone, whan his sone with repentaunce was retourned to his fader. / Can they nat remembren hem eek, that, as seith seint Luk _xxiii_º capitulo, how that the theef that was hanged [615] bisyde Iesu Crist, seyde: ‘Lord, remembre of me, whan thou comest in-to thy regne?’ / ‘For sothe,’ seyde Crist, ‘I seye to thee, to-day shaltow been with me in Paradys.’ / Certes, ther is noon so horrible sinne of man, that it ne may, in his lyf, be destroyed by penitence, thurgh vertu of the passion and of the deeth of Crist. / Allas! what nedeth man thanne to been despeired, sith that his mercy so redy is and large? Axe and have. /705 Thanne cometh Sompnolence, that is, sluggy slombringe, which maketh a man be hevy and dul, in body and in soule; and this sinne comth of Slouthe. / And certes, the tyme that, by wey of resoun, men sholde nat slepe, that is by the morwe; but-if ther were cause resonable. / For soothly, the morwe-tyde is most covenable, a man to seye his preyeres, and for to thinken on god, and for to honoure god, and to yeven almesse to the povre, that first cometh in the name of Crist. / Lo! what seith Salomon: ‘who-so wolde by the morwe awaken and seke me, he shal finde.’ / Thanne cometh Necligence, or recchelesnesse, that rekketh of no-thing. And how that ignoraunce be moder of alle harm, certes, Necligence is the norice. /710 Necligence ne doth no fors, whan he shal doon a thing, whether he do it weel or baddely. /

696. E. sheweth. 698. E. om. that seith ... recreant. Hl. recreaunt (for creant). 700. E. a man nat; Pt. a man not. Hl. as vp-on; rest than vp-on. Hl. Selden, nynety and nyne; rest 90 and 19(!). 702. All but Seld. Ln. om. capitulo. Seld. Pt. Ln. on me. 706. E. Seld. sloggy; Ln. slogge. 707. E. om. the morwe. 711. E. wheither.

§ 57. Of the remedie of thise two sinnes, as seith the wyse man, that ‘he that dredeth god, he spareth nat to doon that him oghte doon.’ / And he that loveth god, he wol doon diligence to plese god by his werkes, and abaundone him-self, with al his might, wel for to doon. / Thanne comth ydelnesse, that is the yate of alle harmes. An ydel man is lyk to a place that hath no walles; the develes may entre on every syde and sheten at him at discovert, by temptacion on every syde. / This ydelnesse is the thurrok of alle wikked and vileyns thoghtes, and of alle Iangles, trufles, and of alle ordure. /715 Certes, the hevene is yeven to hem that wol labouren, and nat to ydel folk. Eek David seith: that ‘they ne been nat in the labour of men, ne they shul nat been whipped with men,’ that is to seyn, in purgatorie. / Certes, thanne semeth it, they shul be tormented with the devel in helle, but-if they doon penitence. /

715. Hl. tryfles; Seld. triflis.

§ 58. Thanne comth the sinne that men clepen Tarditas, as whan a man is to latrede or taryinge, er he wole turne to god; and [616] certes, that is a greet folye. He is lyk to him that falleth in the dich, and wol nat aryse. / And this vyce comth of a fals hope, that he thinketh that he shal live longe; but that hope faileth ful ofte. /

718. Cm. Pt. Ln. Hl. so (for to). E. Cm. laterede; Hl. Seld. latrede; Pt. lattred; Ln. latred.

§ 59. Thanne comth Lachesse; that is he, that whan he biginneth any good werk, anon he shal forleten it and stinten; as doon they that han any wight to governe, and ne taken of him na-more kepe, anon as they finden any contrarie or any anoy. /720 Thise been the newe shepherdes, that leten hir sheep witingly go renne to the wolf that is in the breres, or do no fors of hir owene governaunce. / Of this comth poverte and destruccioun, bothe of spirituel and temporel thinges. Thanne comth a manere coldnesse, that freseth al the herte of man. / Thanne comth undevocioun, thurgh which a man is so blent, as seith Seint Bernard, and hath swiche langour in soule, that he may neither rede ne singe in holy chirche, ne here ne thinke of no devocioun, ne travaille with hise handes in no good werk, that it nis him unsavory and al apalled. / Thanne wexeth he slow and slombry, and sone wol be wrooth, and sone is enclyned to hate and to envye. / Thanne comth the sinne of worldly sorwe, swich as is cleped tristicia, that sleeth man, as seint Paul seith. /725 For certes, swich sorwe werketh to the deeth of the soule and of the body also; for ther-of comth, that a man is anoyed of his owene lyf. / Wherfore swich sorwe shorteth ful ofte the lyf of a man, er that his tyme be come by wey of kinde. /

722. E. spiritueel; temporeel. E. Pt. of a man. 723. E. om. so. blent] Ln. blonte; Hl. blunt. 724. E. slough (for slow). 725. Cm. swich as; Hl. such as; E. which as.

=Remedium contra peccatum Accidie.=

§ 60. Agayns this horrible sinne of Accidie, and the branches of the same, ther is a vertu that is called Fortitudo or Strengthe; that is, an affeccioun thurgh which a man despyseth anoyous thinges. / This vertu is so mighty and so vigorous, that it dar withstonde mightily and wysely kepen him-self fro perils that been wikked, and wrastle agayn the assautes of the devel. / For it enhaunceth and enforceth the soule, right as Accidie abateth it and maketh it feble. For this Fortitudo may endure by long suffraunce the travailles that been covenable. /730

727. E. Cm. of man; Seld. of men; rest of a man. 728. E. anoyouse; Cm. noyouse; rest noyous. 729. E. Cm. vigerous. 730. E. fieble. Hl. conuenables.

[617]

§ 61. This vertu hath manye speces; and the firste is cleped Magnanimitee, that is to seyn, greet corage. For certes, ther bihoveth greet corage agains Accidie, lest that it ne swolwe the soule by the sinne of sorwe, or destroye it by wanhope. / This vertu maketh folk to undertake harde thinges and grevouse thinges, by hir owene wil, wysely and resonably. / And for as muchel as the devel fighteth agayns a man more by queyntise and by sleighte than by strengthe, therfore men shal withstonden him by wit and by resoun and by discrecioun. / Thanne arn ther the vertues of feith, and hope in god and in hise seintes, to acheve and acomplice the gode werkes in the whiche he purposeth fermely to continue. / Thanne comth seuretee or sikernesse; and that is, whan a man ne douteth no travaille in tyme cominge of the gode werkes that a man hath bigonne. /735 Thanne comth Magnificence, that is to seyn, whan a man dooth and perfourneth grete werkes of goodnesse that he hath bigonne; and that is the ende why that men sholde do gode werkes; for in the acomplissinge of grete goode werkes lyth the grete guerdoun. / Thanne is ther Constaunce, that is, stablenesse of corage; and this sholde been in herte by stedefast feith, and in mouth, and in beringe, and in chere and in dede. / Eke ther been mo speciale remedies agains Accidie, in diverse werkes, and in consideracioun of the peynes of helle, and of the Ioyes of hevene, and in trust of the grace of the holy goost, that wole yeve him might to perfourne his gode entente. /

731. E. Magnificence (by error; with Of Magnanimitee in the margin). 732. E. wesely (for wysely). 736. E. om. that he hath bigonne. E. gerdo_u_n. 737. E. chiere.

=Sequitur de Auaricia.=

§ 62. After Accidie wol I speke of Avarice and of Coveitise, of which sinne seith seint Paule, that ‘the rote of alle harmes is Coveitise’: Ad Timotheum, sexto capitulo. / For soothly, whan the herte of a man is confounded in it-self and troubled, and that the soule hath lost the confort of god, thanne seketh he an ydel solas of worldly thinges. /740

739. Pt. Capitulo; rest om.

§ 63. Avarice, after the descripcion of seint Augustin, is likerousnesse in herte to have erthely thinges. / Som other folk seyn, that Avarice is, for to purchacen manye erthely thinges, and nothing yeve to hem that han nede. / And understond, that Avarice ne stant nat only in lond ne catel, but somtyme in science [618] and in glorie, and in every manere of outrageous thing is Avarice and Coveitise. / And the difference bitwixe Avarice and Coveitise is this. Coveitise is for to coveite swiche thinges as thou hast nat; and Avarice is for to withholde and kepe swiche thinges as thou hast, with-oute rightful nede. / Soothly, this Avarice is a sinne that is ful dampnable; for al holy writ curseth it, and speketh agayns that vyce; for it dooth wrong to Iesu Crist. /745 For it bireveth him the love that men to him owen, and turneth it bakward agayns alle resoun; / and maketh that the avaricious man hath more hope in his catel than in Iesu Crist, and dooth more observance in kepinge of his tresor than he dooth to service of Iesu Crist. / And therfore seith seint Paul ad Ephesios, quinto, that ‘an avaricious man is in the thraldom of ydolatrie.’ /

743. E. vnderstoond. 748. E. Hl. om. in after is; Pt. hath more hope in his thraldome; Ln. is thral. No MS. has the precise reading given; but it is clear that in has been dropped.

§ 64. What difference is bitwixe an ydolastre and an avaricious man, but that an ydolastre, per aventure, ne hath but o mawmet or two, and the avaricious man hath manye? For certes, every florin in his cofre is his mawmet. / And certes, the sinne of Mawmetrye is the firste thing that God deffended in the ten comaundments, as bereth witnesse _Exodi, capitulo xx_º: /750 ‘Thou shall have no false goddes bifore me, ne thou shall make to thee no grave thing.’ Thus is an avaricious man, that loveth his tresor biforn god, an ydolastre, / thurgh this cursed sinne of Avarice. Of Coveitise comen thise harde lordshipes, thurgh whiche men been distreyned by tailages, custumes, and cariages, more than hir duetee or resoun is. And eek they taken of hir bonde-men amerciments, whiche mighten more resonably ben cleped extorcions than amerciments. / Of whiche amerciments and raunsoninge of bondemen, somme lordes stywardes seyn, that it is rightful; for-as-muche as a cherl hath no temporel thing that it ne is his lordes, as they seyn. / But certes, thise lordshipes doon wrong, that bireven hir bonde-folk thinges that they nevere yave hem: Augustinus de Civitate, libro nono. / Sooth is, that the condicioun of thraldom and the firste cause of thraldom is for sinne; Genesis, quinto. /755

752. E. Am_er_cimentz (twice); whice (sic). 753. E. temporeel.

§ 65. Thus may ye seen that the gilt disserveth thraldom, but nat nature. / Wherfore thise lordes ne sholde nat muche glorifyen hem in hir lordshipes, sith that by naturel condicion they been nat [619] lordes of thralles; but for that thraldom comth first by the desert of sinne. / And forther-over, ther-as the lawe seith, that temporel godes of bonde-folk been the godes of hir lordshipes, ye, that is for to understonde, the godes of the emperour, to deffenden hem in hir right, but nat for to robben hem ne reven hem. / And therfore seith Seneca: ‘thy prudence sholde live benignely with thy thralles.’ / Thilke that thou clepest thy thralles been goddes peple; for humble folk been Cristes freendes; they been contubernial with the lord. /760

757. E. natureel; om. for. 758. E. temporeel.

§ 66. Think eek, that of swich seed as cherles springeth, of swich seed springen lordes. As wel may the cherl be saved as the lord. / The same deeth that taketh the cherl, swich deeth taketh the lord. Wherfore I rede, do right so with thy cherl, as thou woldest that thy lord dide with thee, if thou were in his plyt. / Every sinful man is a cherl to sinne. I rede thee, certes, that thou, lord, werke in swiche wyse with thy cherles, that they rather love thee than drede. / I woot wel ther is degree above degree, as reson is; and skile it is, that men do hir devoir ther-as it is due; but certes, extorcions and despit of youre underlinges is dampnable. /

§ 67. And forther-over understand wel, that thise conquerours or tiraunts maken ful ofte thralles of hem, that been born of as royal blood as been they that hem conqueren. /765 This name of thraldom was nevere erst couth, til that Noe seyde, that his sone Canaan sholde be thral to hise bretheren for his sinne. / What seye we thanne of hem that pilen and doon extorcions to holy chirche? Certes, the swerd, that men yeven first to a knight whan he is newe dubbed, signifyeth that he sholde deffenden holy chirche, and nat robben it ne pilen it; and who so dooth, is traitour to Crist. / And, as seith seint Augustin, ‘they been the develes wolves, that stranglen the sheep of Iesu Crist’; and doon worse than wolves. / For soothly, whan the wolf hath ful his wombe, he stinteth to strangle sheep. But soothly, the pilours and destroyours of goddes holy chirche ne do nat so; for they ne stinte nevere to pile. / Now, as I have seyd, sith so is that sinne was first cause of thraldom, thanne is it thus; that thilke tyme that al this world was in sinne, thanne was al this world in thraldom and subieccioun. /770 But certes, sith the tyme of grace cam, god ordeyned that som folk sholde be more heigh [620] in estaat and in degree, and som folk more lowe, and that everich sholde be served in his estaat and in his degree. / And therfore, in somme contrees ther they byen thralles, whan they han turned hem to the feith, they maken hir thralles free out of thraldom. And therfore, certes, the lord oweth to his man that the man oweth to his lord. / The Pope calleth him-self servant of the servaunts of god; but for-as-muche as the estaat of holy chirche ne mighte nat han be, ne the commune profit mighte nat han be kept, ne pees and reste in erthe, but-if god hadde ordeyned that som men hadde hyer degree and som men lower: / therfore was sovereyntee ordeyned to kepe and mayntene and deffenden hir underlinges or hir subgets in resoun, as ferforth as it lyth in hir power; and nat to destroyen hem ne confounde. / Wherfore I seye, that thilke lordes that been lyk wolves, that devouren the possessiouns or the catel of povre folk wrongfully, with-outen mercy or mesure, /775 they shul receyven, by the same mesure that they han mesured to povre folk, the mercy of Iesu Crist, but-if it be amended. / Now comth deceite bitwixe marchant and marchant. And thow shalt understonde, that marchandyse is in two maneres; that oon is bodily, and that other is goostly. That oon is honeste and leveful, and that other is deshoneste and unleveful. / Of thilke bodily marchandyse, that is leveful and honeste, is this; that, there-as god hath ordeyned that a regne or a contree is suffisaunt to him-self, thanne is it honeste and leveful, that of habundaunce of this contree, that men helpe another contree that is more nedy. / And therfore, ther mote been marchants to bringen fro that o contree to that other hire marchandyses. / That other marchandise, that men haunten with fraude and trecherie and deceite, with lesinges and false othes, is cursed and dampnable. /780 Espirituel marchandyse is proprely Symonye, that is, ententif desyr to byen thing espirituel, that is, thing that aperteneth to the seintuarie of god and to cure of the soule. / This desyr, if so be that a man do his diligence to parfournen it, al-be-it that his desyr ne take noon effect, yet is it to him a deedly sinne; and if he be ordred, he is irreguler. / Certes, Symonye is cleped of Symon Magus, that wolde han boght, for temporel catel, the yifte that god hadde yeven, by the holy goost, to seint Peter and to [621] the apostles. / And therfore understond, that bothe he that selleth and he that byeth thinges espirituels, been cleped Symonials; be it by catel, be it by procuringe, or by fleshly preyere of hise freendes, fleshly freendes, or espirituel freendes. / Fleshly, in two maneres; as by kinrede or othere freendes. Soothly, if they praye for him that is nat worthy and able, it is Symonye if he take the benefice; and if he be worthy and able, ther nis noon. /785 That other manere is, whan a man or womman preyen for folk to avauncen hem, only for wikked fleshly affeccioun that they have un-to the persone; and that is foul Symonye. / But certes, in service, for which men yeven thinges espirituels un-to hir servants, it moot been understonde that the service moot been honeste, and elles nat; and eek that it be with-outen bargayninge, and that the persone be able. / For, as seith Seint Damasie, ‘alle the sinnes of the world, at regard of this sinne, am as thing of noght’; for it is the gretteste sinne that may be, after the sinne of Lucifer and Antecrist. / For, by this sinne, god forleseth the chirche, and the soule that he boghte with his precious blood, by hem that yeven chirches to hem that been nat digne. / For they putten in theves, that stelen the soules of Iesu Christ and destroyen his patrimoine. /790 By swiche undigne preestes and curates han lewed men the lasse reverence of the sacraments of holy chirche; and swiche yeveres of chirches putten out the children of Crist, and putten in-to the chirche the develes owene sone. / They sellen the soules that lambes sholde kepen to the wolf that strangleth hem. And therfore shul they nevere han part of the pasture of lambes, that is, the blisse of hevene. / Now comth hasardrye with hise apurtenaunces, as tables and rafles; of which comth deceite, false othes, chydinges, and alle ravines, blaspheminge and reneyinge of god, and hate of hise neighebores, wast of godes, misspendinge of tyme, and somtyme manslaughtre. / Certes, hasardours ne mowe nat been with-outen greet sinne whyles they haunte that craft. / Of avarice comen eek lesinges, thefte, fals witnesse, and false othes. And ye shul understonde that thise been grete sinnes, and expres agayn the comaundements of god, as I have seyd. /795 Fals witnesse is in word and eek in dede. In word, as for to bireve thy neighebores goode name by thy fals witnessing, or [622] bireven him his catel or his heritage by thy fals witnessing; whan thou, for ire or for mede, or for envye, berest fals witnesse, or accusest him or excusest him by thy fals witnesse, or elles excusest thy-self falsly. / Ware yow, questemongeres and notaries! Certes, for fals witnessing was Susanna in ful gret sorwe and peyne, and many another mo. / The sinne of thefte is eek expres agayns goddes heste, and that in two maneres, corporel and espirituel. / Corporel, as for to take thy neighebores catel agayn his wil, be it by force or by sleighte, be it by met or by mesure. / By steling eek of false enditements upon him, and in borwinge of thy neighebores catel, in entente nevere to payen it agayn, and semblable thinges. /800 Espirituel thefte is Sacrilege, that is to seyn, hurtinge of holy thinges, or of thinges sacred to Crist, in two maneres; by reson of the holy place, as chirches or chirche-hawes, / for which every vileyns sinne that men doon in swiche places may be cleped sacrilege, or every violence in the semblable places. Also, they that withdrawen falsly the rightes that longen to holy chirche. / And pleynly and generally, sacrilege is to reven holy thing fro holy place, or unholy thing out of holy place, or holy thing out of unholy place. /

765. E. vnderstoond; tirauntz. 767. to (1)] E. in. 771. E. lough; om. and in his degree. 774. E. subgetz. 777. Ed. 1550, two; MSS. manye. 781. E. Espiritueel (twice). 782. E. irreguleer. 783. E. temporeel. 784. E. vnderstoond; beyeth; espiritueel. 791. E. sacramentz. 793. Hl. raueynes; Pt. ravanys; Cm. rauynesse; Ln. rauynges. 794. E. Cm. om. whyles ... craft. 798. E. heeste; om. that; corporeel. Hl. Pt. Ln. and; rest or. E. espiritueel. 799. Hl. Corporel; rest om. 801. E. Espiritueel.

=Relevacio contra peccatum Avaricie.=

§ 68. Now shul ye understonde, that the relevinge of Avarice is misericorde, and pitee largely taken. And men mighten axe, why that misericorde and pitee is relevinge of Avarice? / Certes, the avaricious man sheweth no pitee ne misericorde to the nedeful man; for he delyteth him in the kepinge of his tresor, and nat in the rescowinge ne relevinge of his evene-cristene. And therfore fore speke I first of misericorde. /805 Thanne is misericorde, as seith the philosophre, a vertu, by which the corage of man is stired by the misese of him that is misesed. / Up-on which misericorde folweth pitee, in parfourninge of charitable werkes of misericorde. / And certes, thise thinges moeven a man to misericorde of Iesu Crist, that he yaf him-self for oure gilt, and suffred deeth for misericorde, and forgaf us oure originale sinnes; / and therby relessed us fro the peynes of helle, and amenused the peynes of purgatorie by penitence, and yeveth grace wel to do, and atte laste [623] the blisse of hevene. / The speces of misericorde been, as for to lene and for to yeve and to foryeven and relesse, and for to han pitee in herte, and compassioun of the meschief of his evene-cristene, and eek to chastyse there as nede is. /810 Another manere of remedie agayns Avarice is resonable largesse; but soothly, here bihoveth the consideracioun of the grace of Iesu Crist, and of hise temporel goodes, and eek of the godes perdurables that Crist yaf to us; / and to han remembrance of the deeth that he shal receyve, he noot whanne, where, ne how; and eek that he shal forgon al that he hath, save only that he hath despended in gode werkes. /

TITLE. Hl. Remedium (for Releuacio). 806. Cm. Ln. sterid. 811. E. temporeel.

§ 69. But for-as-muche as som folk been unmesurable, men oghten eschue fool-largesse, that men clepen wast. / Certes, he that is fool-large ne yeveth nat his catel, but he leseth his catel. Soothly, what thing that he yeveth for veyne glorie, as to minstrals and to folk, for to beren his renoun in the world, he hath sinne ther-of and noon almesse. / Certes, he leseth foule his good, that ne seketh with the yifte of his good no-thing but sinne. /815 He is lyk to an hors that seketh rather to drinken drovy or trouble water than for to drinken water of the clere welle. / And for-as-muchel as they yeven ther as they sholde nat yeven, to hem aperteneth thilke malisoun that Crist shal yeven at the day of dome to hem that shullen been dampned. /

813. E. oughten. 816. Seld. droupy (for drovy).

=Sequitur de Gula.=

§ 70. After Avarice comth Glotonye, which is expres eek agayn the comandement of god. Glotonye is unmesurable appetyt to ete or to drinke, or elles to doon y-nogh to the unmesurable appetyt and desordeynce coveityse to eten or to drinke. / This sinne corrumped al this world, as is wel shewed in the sinne of Adam and of Eve. Loke eek, what seith seint Paul of Glotonye. / ‘Manye,’ seith seint Paul, ‘goon, of whiche I have ofte seyd to yow, and now I seye it wepinge, that they been the enemys of the croys of Crist; of whiche the ende is deeth, and of whiche hir wombe is hir god, and hir glorie in confusioun of hem that so saveren erthely thinges.’ /820 He that is usaunt to this sinne of Glotonye, he ne may no sinne withstonde. He moot been in servage of alle vyces, for it is the develes hord ther he hydeth him and resteth. / This [624] sinne hath manye speces. The firste is dronkenesse, that is the horrible sepulture of mannes resoun; and therfore, whan a man is dronken, he hath lost his resoun; and this is deedly sinne. / But soothly, whan that a man is nat wont to strong drinke, and peraventure ne knoweth nat the strengthe of the drinke, or hath feblesse in his heed, or hath travailed, thurgh which he drinketh the more, al be he sodeynly caught with drinke, it is no deedly sinne, but venial. / The seconde spece of Glotonye is, that the spirit of a man wexeth al trouble; for dronkenesse bireveth him the discrecioun of his wit. / The thridde spece of Glotonye is, whan a man devoureth his mete, and hath no rightful manere of etinge. /825 The fourthe is whan, thurgh the grete habundaunce of his mete, the humours in his body been destempred. / The fifthe is, foryetelnesse by to muchel drinkinge; for which somtyme a man foryeteth er the morwe what he dide at even or on the night biforn. /

820. Pt. Ln. thei; rest om. Hl. Pt. Ln. saueren; rest deuouren. 821. E. hoord. 823. Cm. woned. 827. Cm. forȝetefulnesse.

§ 71. In other manere been distinct the speces of Glotonye, after seint Gregorie. The firste is, for to ete biforn tyme to ete. The seconde is, whan a man get him to delicat mete or drinke. / The thridde is, whan men taken to muche over mesure. The fourthe is curiositee, with greet entente to maken and apparaillen his mete. The fifthe is, for to eten to gredily. / Thise been the fyve fingres of the develes hand, by whiche he draweth folk to sinne. /830

828. E. delicaat.

=Remedium contra peccatum Gule.=

§ 72. Agayns Glotonye is the remedie Abstinence, as seith Galien; but that holde I nat meritorie, if he do it only for the hele of his body. Seint Augustin wole, that Abstinence be doon for vertu and with pacience. / Abstinence, he seith, is litel worth, but if a man have good wil ther-to, and but it be enforced by pacience and by charitee, and that men doon it for godes sake, and in hope to have the blisse of hevene. /

§ 73. The felawes of Abstinence been Attemperaunce, that holdeth the mene in alle thinges: eek Shame, that eschueth alle deshonestee: Suffisance, that seketh no riche metes ne drinkes, ne dooth no fors of to outrageous apparailinge of mete. / Mesure also, that restreyneth by resoun the deslavee appetyt of etinge: [625] Sobrenesse also, that restreyneth the outrage of drinke: / Sparinge also, that restreyneth the delicat ese to sitte longe at his mete and softely; wherfore som folk stonden of hir owene wil, to eten at the lasse leyser. /835

835. E. delicaat.

=Sequitur de Luxuria.=

§ 74. After Glotonye, thanne comth Lecherie; for thise two sinnes been so ny cosins, that ofte tyme they wol nat departe. / God woot, this sinne is ful displesaunt thing to god; for he seyde himself, ‘do no lecherie.’ And therfore he putte grete peynes agayns this sinne in the olde lawe. / If womman thral were taken in this sinne, she sholde be beten with staves to the deeth. And if she were a gentil womman, she sholde be slayn with stones. And if she were a bisshoppes doghter, she sholde been brent, by goddes comandement. / Forther over, by the sinne of Lecherie, god dreynte al the world at the diluge. And after that, he brente fyve citees with thonder-leyt, and sank hem in-to helle. /

838. Cm. stonys; Ln. stones; Hl. stoones (for staues). 839. Pt. Ln. diluve; Hl. diluue (for diluge). E. thonder-leyt; Hl. -layt; rest -light.

§ 75. Now lat us speke thanne of thilke stinkinge sinne of Lecherie that men clepe Avoutrie of wedded folk, that is to seyn, if that oon of hem be wedded, or elles bothe. /840 Seint Iohn seith, that avoutiers shullen been in helle in a stank brenninge of fyr and of brimston; in fyr, for the lecherie; in brimston, for the stink of hir ordure. / Certes, the brekinge of this sacrement is an horrible thing; it was maked of god him-self in paradys, and confermed by Iesu Crist, as witnesseth seint Mathew in the gospel: ‘A man shal lete fader and moder, and taken him to his wyf, and they shullen be two in o flesh.’ / This sacrement bitokneth the knittinge togidre of Crist and of holy chirche. / And nat only that god forbad avoutrie in dede, but eek he comanded that thou sholdest nat coveite thy neighebores wyf. / In this heeste, seith seint Augustin, is forboden alle manere coveitise to doon lecherie. Lo what seith seint Mathew in the gospel: that ‘who-so seeth a womman to coveitise of his lust, he hath doon lecherie with hir in his herte.’ /845 Here may ye seen that nat only the dede of this sinne is forboden, but eek the desyr to doon that sinne. / This cursed sinne anoyeth grevousliche [626] hem that it haunten. And first, to hir soule; for he oblygeth it to sinne and to peyne of deeth that is perdurable. / Un-to the body anoyeth it grevously also, for it dreyeth him, and wasteth, and shent him, and of his blood he maketh sacrifyce to the feend of helle; it wasteth his catel and his substaunce. / And certes, if it be a foul thing, a man to waste his catel on wommen, yet is it a fouler thing whan that, for swich ordure, wommen dispenden up-on men hir catel and substaunce. / This sinne, as seith the prophete, bireveth man and womman hir gode fame, and al hir honour; and it is ful pleasaunt to the devel; for ther-by winneth he the moste partie of this world. /850 And right as a marchant delyteth him most in chaffare that he hath most avantage of, right so delyteth the feend in this ordure. /

841. Pt. in fuyre for lechery in bremstone; Hl. In fuyr for the leccherie in brimston; Ln. for licherye in brimstone (om. in fyr); E. Cm. omit. 848. Pt. Ln. drieth.

§ 76. This is that other hand of the devel, with fyve fingres, to cacche the peple to his vileinye. / The firste finger is the fool lookinge of the fool womman and of the fool man, that sleeth, right as the basilicok sleeth folk by the venim of his sighte; for the coveitise of eyen folweth the coveitise of the herte. / The seconde finger is the vileyns touchinge in wikkede manere; and ther-fore seith Salomon, that who-so toucheth and handleth a womman, he fareth lyk him that handleth the scorpioun that stingeth and sodeynly sleeth thurgh his enveniminge; as who-so toucheth warm pich, it shent hise fingres. / The thridde, is foule wordes, that fareth lyk fyr, that right anon brenneth the herte. /855 The fourthe finger is the kissinge; and trewely he were a greet fool that wolde kisse the mouth of a brenninge ovene or of a fourneys. / And more fooles been they that kissen in vileinye; for that mouth is the mouth of helle: and namely, thise olde dotardes holours, yet wol they kisse, though they may nat do, and smatre hem. / Certes, they been lyk to houndes; for an hound, whan he comth by the roser or by othere [busshes], though he may nat pisse, yet wole he heve up his leg and make a contenaunce to pisse. / And for that many man weneth that he may nat sinne, for no likerousnesse that he doth with his wyf; certes, that opinion is fals. God woot, a man may sleen him-self with his owene knyf, and make him-selven dronken of his owene tonne. / Certes, be it wyf, be it child, or any worldly thing that he loveth [627] biforn god, it is his maumet, and he is an ydolastre. /860 Man sholde loven his wyf by discrecioun, paciently and atemprely; and thanne is she as though it were his suster. / The fifthe finger of the develes hand is the stinkinge dede of Lecherie. / Certes, the fyve fingres of Glotonie the feend put in the wombe of a man, and with hise fyve fyngres of Lecherie he gripeth him by the reynes, for to throwen him in-to the fourneys of helle; / ther-as they shul han the fyr and the wormes that evere shul lasten, and wepinge and wailinge, sharp hunger and thurst, and grimnesse of develes that shullen al to-trede hem, with-outen respit and withouten ende. / Of Lecherie, as I seyde, sourden diverse speces; as fornicacioun, that is bitwixe man and womman that been nat maried; and this is deedly sinne and agayns nature. /865 Al that is enemy and destruccioun to nature is agayns nature. / Parfay, the resoun of a man telleth eek him wel that it is deedly sinne, for-as-muche as god forbad Lecherie. And seint Paul yeveth hem the regne, that nis dewe to no wight but to hem that doon deedly sinne. / Another sinne of Lecherie is to bireve a mayden of hir maydenhede; for he that so dooth, certes, he casteth a mayden out of the hyeste degree that is in this present lyf, / and bireveth hir thilke precious fruit that the book clepeth ‘the hundred fruit.’ I ne can seye it noon other weyes in English, but in Latin it highte Centesimus fructus. / Certes, he that so dooth is cause of manye damages and vileinyes, mo than any man can rekene; right as he som-tyme is cause of alle damages that bestes don in the feeld, that breketh the hegge or the closure; thurgh which he destroyeth that may nat been restored. /870 For certes, na-more may maydenhede be restored than an arm that is smiten fro the body may retourne agayn to wexe. / She may have mercy, this woot I wel, if she do penitence; but nevere shal it be that she nas corrupt. / And al-be-it so that I have spoken somwhat of Avoutrie, it is good to shewen mo perils that longen to Avoutrie, for to eschue that foule sinne. / Avoutrie in Latin is for to seyn, approchinge of other mannes bed, thurgh which tho that whylom weren o flessh abaundone hir bodyes to othere persones. / Of this sinne, as seith the wyse man, folwen manye harmes. First, brekinge of feith; and certes, in feith is the keye of Cristendom. /875 And whan that feith is broken and lorn, soothly Cristendom stant [628] veyn and with-outen fruit. / This sinne is eek a thefte; for thefte generally is for to reve a wight his thing agayns his wille. / Certes, this is the fouleste thefte that may be, whan a womman steleth hir body from hir housbonde and yeveth it to hire holour to defoulen hir; and steleth hir soule fro Crist, and yeveth it to the devel. / This is a fouler thefte, than for to breke a chirche and stele the chalice; for thise Avoutiers breken the temple of god spiritually, and stelen the vessel of grace, that is, the body and the soule, for which Crist shal destroyen hem, as seith Seint Paul. / Soothly of this thefte douted gretly Joseph, whan that his lordes wyf preyed him of vileinye, whan he seyde, ‘lo, my lady, how my lord hath take to me under my warde al that he hath in this world; ne no-thing of hise thinges is out of my power, but only ye that been his wyf. /880 And how sholde I thanne do this wikkednesse, and sinne so horribly agayns god, and agayns my lord? God it forbede.’ Allas! al to litel is swich trouthe now y-founde! / The thridde harm is the filthe thurgh which they breken the comandement of god, and defoulen the auctour of matrimoine, that is Crist. / For certes, in-so-muche as the sacrement of mariage is so noble and so digne, so muche is it gretter sinne for to breken it; for god made mariage in paradys, in the estaat of Innocence, to multiplye man-kinde to the service of god. / And therfore is the brekinge ther-of more grevous. Of which brekinge comen false heires ofte tyme, that wrongfully occupyen folkes heritages. And therfore wol Crist putte hem out of the regne of hevene, that is heritage to gode folk. / Of this brekinge comth eek ofte tyme, that folk unwar wedden or sinnen with hir owene kinrede; and namely thilke harlottes that haunten bordels of thise fool wommen, that mowe be lykned to a commune gonge, where-as men purgen hir ordure. /885 What seye we eek of putours that liven by the horrible sinne of putrie, and constreyne wommen to yelden to hem a certeyn rente of hir bodily puterie, ye, somtyme of his owene wyf or his child; as doon this baudes? Certes, thise been cursede sinnes. / Understond eek, that avoutrie is set gladly in the ten comandements bitwixe thefte and manslaughtre; for it is the gretteste thefte that may be; for it is thefte of body and of soule. / And it is lyk to homicyde; for it kerveth a-two and [629] breketh a-two hem that first were maked o flesh, and therfore, by the olde lawe of god, they sholde be slayn. / But nathelees, by the lawe of Iesu Crist, that is lawe of pitee, whan he seyde to the womman that was founden in avoutrie, and sholde han been slayn with stones, after the wil of the Iewes, as was hir lawe: ‘Go,’ quod Iesu Crist, ‘and have na-more wil to sinne’; or, ‘wille na-more to do sinne.’ / Soothly, the vengeaunce of avoutrie is awarded to the peynes of helle, but-if so be that it be destourbed by penitence. /890 Yet been ther mo speces of this cursed sinne; as whan that oon of hem is religious, or elles bothe; or of folk that been entred in-to ordre, as subdekne or dekne, or preest, or hospitaliers. And evere the hyer that he is in ordre, the gretter is the sinne. / The thinges that gretly agreggen hir sinne is the brekinge of hir avow of chastitee, whan they receyved the ordre. / And forther-over, sooth is, that holy ordre is chief of al the tresorie of god, and his especial signe and mark of chastitee; to shewe that they been ioyned to chastitee, which that is most precious lyf that is. / And thise ordred folk been specially tytled to god, and of the special meynee of god; for which, whan they doon deedly sinne, they been the special traytours of god and of his peple; for they liven of the peple, to preye for the peple, and whyle they been suche traitours, hir preyers availen nat to the peple. / Preestes been aungeles, as by the dignitee of hir misterye; but for sothe, seint Paul seith, that ‘Sathanas transformeth him in an aungel of light.’ /895 Soothly, the preest that haunteth deedly sinne, he may be lykned to the aungel of derknesse transformed in the aungel of light; he semeth aungel of light, but for sothe he is aungel of derknesse. / Swiche preestes been the sones of Helie, as sheweth in the book of Kinges, that they weren the sones of Belial, that is, the devel. / Belial is to seyn ‘with-outen Iuge’; and so faren they; hem thinketh they been free, and han no Iuge, na-more than hath a free bole that taketh which cow that him lyketh in the toun. / So faren they by wommen. For right as a free bole is y-nough for al a toun, right so is a wikked preest corrupcioun y-nough for al a parisshe, or for al a contree. / Thise preestes, as seith the book, ne conne nat the misterie of preesthode to the peple, ne god ne knowe they nat; they ne helde hem nat apayd, as seith the book, [630] of soden flesh that was to hem offred, but they toke by force the flesh that is rawe. /900 Certes, so thise shrewes ne holden hem nat apayed of rosted flesh and sode flesh, with which the peple fedden hem in greet reverence, but they wole have raw flesh of folkes wyves and hir doghtres. / And certes, thise wommen that consenten to hir harlotrie doon greet wrong to Crist and to holy chirche and alle halwes, and to alle soules; for they bireven alle thise him that sholde worshipe Crist and holy chirche, and preye for cristene soules. / And therfore han swiche preestes, and hir lemmanes eek that consenten to hir lecherie, the malisoun of al the court cristen, till they come to amendement. / The thridde spece of avoutrie is som-tyme bitwixe a man and his wyf; and that is whan they take no reward in hir assemblinge, but only to hire fleshly delyt, as seith seint Ierome; / and ne rekken of nothing but that they been assembled; by-cause that they been maried, al is good y-nough, as thinketh to hem. /905 But in swich folk hath the devel power, as seyde the aungel Raphael to Thobie; for in hir assemblinge they putten Iesu Crist out of hir herte, and yeven hem-self to alle ordure. / The fourthe spece is, the assemblee of hem that been of hire kinrede, or of hem that been of oon affinitee, or elles with hem with whiche hir fadres or hir kinrede han deled in the sinne of lecherie; this sinne maketh hem lyk to houndes, that taken no kepe to kinrede. / And certes, parentele is in two maneres, outher goostly or fleshly; goostly, as for to delen with hise godsibbes. / For right so as he that engendreth a child is his fleshly fader, right so is his godfader his fader espirituel. For which a womman may in no lasse sinne assemblen with hir godsib than with hir owene fleshly brother. / The fifthe spece is thilke abhominable sinne, of which that no man unnethe oghte speke ne wryte, nathelees it is openly reherced in holy writ. /910 This cursednesse doon men and wommen in diverse entente and in diverse manere; but though that holy writ speke of horrible sinne, certes, holy writ may nat been defouled, na-more than the sonne that shyneth on the mixen. / Another sinne aperteneth to lecherie, that comth in slepinge; and this sinne cometh ofte to hem that been maydenes, and eek to hem that been corrupt; and this sinne men clepen pollucioun, that [631] comth in foure maneres. / Somtyme, of languissinge of body; for the humours been to ranke and habundaunt in the body of man. Somtyme of infermetee; for the feblesse of the vertu retentif, as phisik maketh mencioun. Som-tyme, for surfeet of mete and drinke. / And somtyme of vileyns thoghtes, that been enclosed in mannes minde whan he goth to slepe; which may nat been with-oute sinne. For which men moste kepen hem wysely, or elles may men sinnen ful grevously. /

853. Hl. as a basiliskoc. 857. Hl. dotard fooles holours. C m. and smatere hem thow they may nat doon. 858. Tyrwhitt has bushes; E. Seld. Ln. beauteis; Cm. beauteis; Hl. beautes; Pt. bewtees. 869. After fructus, Hl. adds secundum Ieronimum contra Iouinianum. 881. Hl. Pt. horribly; E. Cm. horrible. 882. E. Actour (error for Auctour). 884. E. Hl. om. ther-of. E. ocupien. 887. E. Vnderstoond. E. Pt. Ln. Hl. Seld. gladly; Cm. om. E. comandementz. 891. Pt. Hl. or deken; Ln. & deken; Cm. dekene; E. om. 894. E. meignee; Ln. Hl. meyne. E. Cm. om. to preye ... to the peple; the clause occurs in Pt. Ln. Selden, and partly in Hl. 897. Seld. Pt. Ln. Hl. Belye (for Helye); Cm. Belyal. 900. Cm. helde; rest holde. 903. E. cristiene; Hl. cristian; Cm. cristene; rest cristen. 908. Pt. Ln. Parentela; Hl. parenteal. 909. E. espiritueel. 911. Pt. myxen; Cm. myxene; E. Mixne; Seld. Ln. mexen; Hl. dongehul. 912. E. Poluciou_n_. 912. E. Cm. iij; rest iiij. 913. Pt. feblesse; E. fieblesse; Cm. febillesse; Ln. Hl. feblenesse. 914. Cm. muste (for moste). E. greously (!).

=Remedium contra peccatum Luxurie.=

§ 77. Now comth the remedie agayns Lecherie, and that is, generally, Chastitee and Continence, that restreyneth alle the desordeynee moevinges that comen of fleshly talentes. /915 And evere the gretter merite shal he han, that most restreyneth the wikkede eschaufinges of the ordure of this sinne. And this is in two maneres, that is to seyn, chastitee in mariage, and chastitee of widwehode. / Now shaltow understonde, that matrimoine is leefful assemblinge of man and of womman, that receyven by vertu of the sacrement the bond, thurgh which they may nat be departed in al hir lyf, that is to seyn, whyl that they liven bothe. / This, as seith the book, is a ful greet sacrement. God maked it, as I have seyd, in paradys, and wolde him-self be born in mariage. / And for to halwen mariage, he was at a weddinge, where-as he turned water in-to wyn; which was the firste miracle that he wroghte in erthe biforn hise disciples. / Trewe effect of mariage clenseth fornicacioun and replenisseth holy chirche of good linage; for that is the ende of mariage; and it chaungeth deedly sinne in-to venial sinne bitwixe hem that been y-wedded, and maketh the hertes al oon of hem that been y-wedded, as wel as the bodies. /920 This is verray mariage, that was establissed by god er that sinne bigan, whan naturel lawe was in his right point in paradys; and it was ordeyned that o man sholde have but o womman, and o womman but o man, as seith Seint Augustin, by manye resouns. /

917. E. boond. 921. E. Cm. om. This is. E. natureel.

§ 78. First, for mariage is figured bitwixe Crist and holy chirche. And that other is, for a man is heved of a womman; algate, by ordinaunce it sholde be so. / For if a womman had mo men [632] than oon, thanne sholde she have mo hevedes than oon, and that were an horrible thing biforn god; and eek a womman ne mighte nat plese to many folk at ones. And also ther ne sholde nevere be pees ne reste amonges hem; for everich wolde axen his owene thing. / And forther-over, no man ne sholde knowe his owene engendrure, ne who sholde have his heritage; and the womman sholde been the lasse biloved, fro the time that she were conioynt to many men. /

923. E. no (for mo) before men.

§ 79. Now comth, how that a man sholde bere him with his wyf; and namely, in two thinges, that is to seyn in suffraunce and reverence, as shewed Crist whan he made first womman. /925 For he ne made hir nat of the heved of Adam, for she sholde nat clayme to greet lordshipe. / For ther-as the womman hath the maistrie, she maketh to muche desray; ther neden none ensamples of this. The experience of day by day oghte suffyse. / Also certes, god ne made nat womman of the foot of Adam, for she ne sholde nat been holden to lowe; for she can nat paciently suffre: but god made womman of the rib of Adam, for womman sholde be felawe un-to man. / Man sholde bere him to his wyf in feith, in trouthe, and in love, as seith seint Paul: that ‘a man sholde loven his wyf as Crist loved holy chirche, that loved it so wel that he deyde for it.’ So sholde a man for his wyf, if it were nede. /

927. Hl. disaray; Pt. Ln. disaraye.

§ 80. Now how that a womman sholde be subget to hir housbonde, that telleth seint Peter. First, in obedience. /930 And eek, as seith the decree, a womman that is a wyf, as longe as she is a wyf, she hath noon auctoritee to swere ne bere witnesse with-oute leve of hir housbonde, that is hir lord; algate, he sholde be so by resoun. / She sholde eek serven him in alle honestee, and been attempree of hir array. I wot wel that they sholde setten hir entente to plesen hir housbondes, but nat by hir queyntise of array. / Seint Ierome seith, that wyves that been apparailled in silk and in precious purpre ne mowe nat clothen hem in Iesu Crist. What seith seint Iohn eek in this matere? / Seint Gregorie eek seith, that no wight seketh precious array but only for veyne glorie, to been honoured the more biforn the peple. / It is a greet folye, a womman to have a fair array outward and in hir-self be foul inward. /935 [633] A wyf sholde eek be mesurable in lokinge and in beringe and in laughinge, and discreet in alle hir wordes and hir dedes. / And aboven alle worldly thing she sholde loven hir housbonde with al hir herte, and to him be trewe of hir body / so sholde an housbonde eek be to his wyf. For sith that al the body is the housbondes, so sholde hir herte been, or elles ther is bitwixe hem two, as in that, no parfit mariage. / Thanne shal men understonde that for three thinges a man and his wyf fleshly mowen assemble. The firste is in entente of engendrure of children to the service of god, for certes that is the cause fynal of matrimoine. / Another cause is, to yelden everich of hem to other the dette of hir bodies, for neither of hem hath power over his owene body. The thridde is, for to eschewe lecherye and vileinye. The ferthe is for sothe deadly sinne. /940 As to the firste, it is meritorie; the seconde also; for, as seith the decree, that she hath merite of chastitee that yeldeth to hir housbonde the dette of hir body, ye, though it be agayn hir lykinge and the lust of hir herte. / The thridde manere is venial sinne, and trewely scarsly may ther any of thise be with-oute venial sinne, for the corrupcion and for the delyt. / The fourthe manere is for to understonde, if they assemble only for amorous love and for noon of the forseyde causes, but for to accomplice thilke brenninge delyt, they rekke nevere how ofte, sothly it is deedly sinne; and yet, with sorwe, somme folk wol peynen hem more to doon than to hir appetyt suffyseth. /

931. E. Cm. that is wyf; Hl. that is a wif. 935. Cm. Pt. be; Hl. to ben; Ln. bue; E. om. 941. E. om. merite of chastitee. 942. E. om. of.

§ 81. The seconde manere of chastitee is for to been a clene widewe, and eschue the embracinges of man, and desyren the embracinge of Iesu Crist. / Thise been tho that han been wyves and han forgoon hir housbondes, and eek wommen that han doon lecherie and been releeved by Penitence. /945 And certes, if that a wyf coude kepen hir al chaast by licence of hir housbonde, so that she yeve nevere noon occasion that he agilte, it were to hire a greet merite. / Thise manere wommen that observen chastitee moste be clene in herte as well as in body and in thoght, and mesurable in clothinge and in contenaunce; and been abstinent in etinge and drinkinge, in spekinge, and in dede. They been the vessel or the boyste of the blissed Magdelene, that fulfilleth holy chirche of good odour. / The thridde manere of chastitee is [634] virginitee, and it bihoveth that she be holy in herte and clene of body; thanne is she spouse to Iesu Crist, and she is the lyf of angeles. / She is the preisinge of this world, and she is as thise martirs in egalitee; she hath in hir that tonge may nat telle ne herte thinke. / Virginitee baar oure lord Iesu Crist, and virgin was him-selve. /950

947. E. om. moste be ... mesurable.

§ 82. Another remedie agayns Lecherie is, specially to withdrawen swiche thinges as yeve occasion to thilke vileinye; as ese, etinge and drinkinge; for certes, whan the pot boyleth strongly, the beste remedie is to withdrawe the fyr. Slepinge longe in greet quiete is eek a greet norice to Lecherie. /

§ 83. Another remedie agayns Lecherie is, that a man or a womman eschue the companye of hem by whiche he douteth to be tempted; for al-be-it so that the dede is withstonden, yet is ther greet temptacioun. / Soothly a whyt wal, al-though it ne brenne noght fully by stikinge of a candele, yet is the wal blak of the leyt. / Ful ofte tyme I rede, that no man truste in his owene perfeccioun, but he be stronger than Sampson, and holier than Daniel, and wyser than Salomon. /955

954. E. leyt; Pt. Ln. leyte; Cm. lyght.

§ 84. Now after that I have declared yow, as I can, the sevene deedly sinnes, and somme of hir braunches and hir remedies, soothly, if I coude, I wolde telle yow the ten comandements. / But so heigh a doctrine I lete to divines. Nathelees, I hope to god they been touched in this tretice, everich of hem alle. /

=De Confessione.=

§ 85. Now for-as-muche as the second partie of Penitence stant in Confessioun of mouth, as I bigan in the firste chapitre, I seye, seint Augustin seith: / sinne is every word and every dede, and al that men coveiten agayn the lawe of Iesu Crist; and this is for to sinne in herte, in mouth, and in dede, by thy fyve wittes, that been sighte, heringe, smellinge, tastinge or savouringe, and felinge. / Now is it good to understonde that that agreggeth muchel every sinne. /960 Thou shall considere what thou art that doost the sinne, whether thou be male or femele, yong or old, gentil or thral, free or servant, hool or syk, wedded or sengle, ordred or unordred, wys or fool, clerk or seculer; / if she be of [635] thy kinrede, bodily or goostly, or noon; if any of thy kinrede have sinned with hir or noon, and manye mo thinges. /

960. Pt. Hl. the circumstances that; Ln. the circumstance that (for that that). 961. E. seculeer.

§ 86. Another circumstaunce is this; whether it be doon in fornicacioun, or in avoutrie, or noon; incest, or noon; mayden, or noon; in manere of homicyde, or noon; horrible grete sinnes, or smale; and how longe thou hast continued in sinne. / The thridde circumstaunce is the place ther thou hast do sinne; whether in other mennes hous or in thyn owene; in feeld or in chirche, or in chirche-hawe; in chirche dedicat, or noon. / For if the chirche be halwed, and man or womman spille his kinde inwith that place by wey of sinne, or by wikked temptacion, the chirche is entredited til it be reconciled by the bishop; /965 and the preest that dide swich a vileinye, to terme of al his lyf, he sholde na-more singe masse; and if he dide, he sholde doon deedly sinne at every tyme that he so songe masse. / The fourthe circumstaunce is, by whiche mediatours or by whiche messagers, as for entycement, or for consentement to bere companye with felaweshipe; for many a wrecche, for to bere companye, wil go to the devel of helle. / Wher-fore they that eggen or consenten to the sinne been parteners of the sinne, and of the dampnacioun of the sinner. / The fifthe circumstaunce is, how manye tymes that he hath sinned, if it be in his minde, and how ofte that he hath falle. / For he that ofte falleth in sinne, he despiseth the mercy of god, and encreesseth his sinne, and is unkinde to Crist; and he wexeth the more feble to withstonde sinne, and sinneth the more lightly, /970 and the latter aryseth, and is the more eschew for to shryven him, namely, to him that is his confessour. / For which that folk, whan they falle agayn in hir olde folies, outher they forleten hir olde confessours al outrely, or elles they departen hir shrift in diverse places; but soothly, swich departed shrift deserveth no mercy of god of hise sinnes. / The sixte circumstaunce is, why that a man sinneth, as by whiche temptacioun; and if him-self procure thilke temptacioun, or by the excytinge of other folk; or if he sinne with a womman by force, or by hir owene assent; / or if the womman, maugree hir heed, hath been afforced, or noon; this shal she telle; for coveitise, or for poverte, and if it was hir procuringe or noon; and swiche manere harneys. / The seventhe [636] circumstaunce is, in what manere he hath doon his sinne, or how that she hath suffred that folk han doon to hir. /975 And the same shal the man telle pleynly, with alle circumstaunces; and whether he hath sinned with comune bordel-wommen, or noon; / or doon his sinne in holy tymes, or noon; in fasting-tymes, or noon; or biforn his shrifte, or after his latter shrifte; / and hath, per-aventure, broken ther-fore his penance enioyned; by whos help and whos conseil; by sorcerie or craft; al moste be told. / Alle thise thinges, after that they been grete or smale, engreggen the conscience of man. And eek the preest that is thy Iuge, may the bettre been avysed of his Iugement in yevinge of thy penaunce, and that is after thy contricioun. / For understond wel, that after tyme that a man hath defouled his baptesme by sinne, if he wole come to salvacioun, ther is noon other wey but by penitence and shrifte and satisfaccioun; /980 and namely by the two, if ther be a confessour to which he may shryven him; and the thridde, if he have lyf to parfournen it. /

964. E. dedicaat. 965. E. Cm. om. til ... bishop. 967. wil] E. shal. 968. dampnacioun] E. Cm. temptacioun. 970. E. fieble. 973. Pt. Ln. H. whiche; rest om.

§ 87. Thanne shal man looke and considere, that if he wole maken a trewe and a profitable confessioun, ther moste be foure condiciouns. / First, it moot been in sorweful bitternesse of herte, as seyde the king Ezekias to god: ‘I wol remembre me alle the yeres of my lyf in bitternesse of myn herte.’ / This condicioun of bitternesse hath fyve signes. The firste is, that confessioun moste be shamefast, nat for to covere ne hyden his sinne, for he hath agilt his god and defouled his soule. / And her-of seith seint Augustin: ‘the herte travailleth for shame of his sinne’; and for he hath greet shamefastnesse, he is digne to have greet mercy of god. /985 Swich was the confession of the publican, that wolde nat heven up hise eyen to hevene, for he hadde offended god of hevene; for which shamefastnesse he hadde anon the mercy of god. / And ther-of seith seint Augustin, that swich shamefast folk been next foryevenesse and remissioun. / Another signe is humilitee in confessioun; of which seith seint Peter, ‘Humbleth yow under the might of god.’ The hond of god is mighty in confession, for ther-by god foryeveth thee thy sinnes; for he allone hath the power. / And this humilitee shal been in herte, and in signe outward; for right as he hath humilitee to god [637] in his herte, right so sholde he humble his body outward to the preest that sit in goddes place. / For which in no manere, sith that Crist is sovereyn and the preest mene and mediatour bitwixe Crist and the sinnere, and the sinnere is the laste by wey of resoun, /990 thanne sholde nat the sinnere sitte as heighe as his confessour, but knele biforn him or at his feet, but-if maladie destourbe it. For he shal nat taken kepe who sit there, but in whos place that he sitteth. / A man that hath trespased to a lord, and comth for to axe mercy and maken his accord, and set him doun anon by the lord, men wolde holden him outrageous, and nat worthy so sone for to have remissioun ne mercy. / The thridde signe is, how that thy shrift sholde be ful of teres, if man may; and if man may nat wepe with hise bodily eyen, lat him wepe in herte. / Swich was the confession of seint Peter; for after that he hadde forsake Iesu Crist, he wente out and weep ful bitterly. / The fourthe signe is, that he ne lette nat for shame to shewen his confessioun. /995 Swich was the confessioun of the Magdelene, that ne spared, for no shame of hem that weren atte feste, for to go to oure lord Iesu Crist and biknowe to him hir sinnes. / The fifthe signe is, that a man or a womman be obeisant to receyven the penaunce that him is enioyned for hise sinnes; for certes Iesu Crist, for the giltes of a man, was obedient to the deeth. /

983. All Ezekiel; read Ezekias (Isaiah xxxviii. 15). 985. E. ther-of; rest her-of. 986. E. Ln. puplican. 993. E. teeris.

§ 88. The seconde condicion of verray confession is, that it be hastily doon; for certes, if a man hadde a deedly wounde, evere the lenger that he taried to warisshe him-self, the more wolde it corrupte and haste him to his deeth; and eek the wounde wolde be the wors for to hele. / And right so fareth sinne, that longe tyme is in a man unshewed. / Certes, a man oghte hastily shewen hise sinnes for manye causes; as for drede of deeth, that cometh ofte sodenly, and is in no certeyn what tyme it shal be, ne in what place; and eek the drecchinge of o synne draweth in another; /1000 and eek the lenger that he tarieth, the ferther he is fro Crist. And if he abyde to his laste day, scarsly may he shryven him or remembre him of hise sinnes, or repenten him, for the grevous maladie of his deeth. / And for-as-muche as he ne hath nat in his lyf herkned Iesu Crist, whanne he hath spoken, he shal crye to Iesu Crist at his laste day, and scarsly wol he herkne him. / And understond that this condicioun moste han foure thinges. [638] Thy shrift moste be purveyed bifore and avysed; for wikked haste doth no profit; and that a man conne shryve him of hise sinnes be it of pryde, or of envye, and so forth of the speces and circumstances; / and that he have comprehended in his minde the nombre and the greetnesse of hise sinnes, and how longe that he hath leyn in sinne; / and eek that he be contrit of hise sinnes, and in stedefast purpos, by the grace of god, nevere eft to falle in sinne; and eek that he drede and countrewaite him-self, that he flee the occasiouns of sinne to whiche he is enclyned. /1005 Also thou shalt shryve thee of alle thy sinnes to o man, and nat a parcel to o man and a parcel to another; that is to understonde, in entente to departe thy confessioun as for shame or drede; for it nis but stranglinge of thy soule. / For certes, Iesu Crist is entierly al good; in him nis noon inperfeccioun; and therfore outher he foryeveth al parfitly or never a deel. / I seye nat that if thou be assigned to the penitauncer for certein sinne, that thou art bounde to shewen him al the remenaunt of thy sinnes, of whiche thou hast be shriven to thy curat, but-if it lyke to thee of thyn humilitee; this is no departinge of shrifte. / Ne I seye nat, ther-as I speke of divisioun of confessioun, that if thou have lycence for to shryve thee to a discreet and an honeste preest, where thee lyketh, and by lycence of thy curat, that thou ne mayst wel shryve thee to him of alle thy sinnes. / But lat no blotte be bihinde; lat no sinne been untold, as fer as thou hast remembraunce. /1010 And whan thou shalt be shriven to thy curat, telle him eek alle the sinnes that thou hast doon sin thou were last y-shriven; this is no wikked entente of divisioun of shrifte. /

1000. Pt. Ln. Seld. is in; rest om. 1005. E. stidefast; Cm. Hl. stedefast. 1008, 1009, 1011. E. curaat.

§ 89. Also the verray shrifte axeth certeine condiciouns. First, that thou shryve thee by thy free wil, noght constreyned, ne for shame of folk, ne for maladie, ne swiche thinges; for it is resoun that he that trespasseth by his free wil, that by his free wil he confesse his trespas; / and that noon other man telle his sinne but he him-self, ne he shal nat nayte ne denye his sinne, ne wratthe him agayn the preest for his amonestinge to leve sinne. / The seconde condicioun is, that thy shrift be laweful; that is to seyn, that thou that shryvest thee, and eek the preest that hereth thy confessioun, been verraily in the feith of holy chirche; / and that a man ne be nat despeired of the mercy of Iesu Crist, as [639] Caym or Iudas. /1015 And eek a man moot accusen him-self of his owene trespas, and nat another; but he shal blame and wyten him-self and his owene malice of his sinne, and noon other; / but nathelees, if that another man be occasioun or entycer of his sinne, or the estaat of a persone be swich thurgh which his sinne is agregged, or elles that he may nat pleynly shryven him but he telle the persone with which he hath sinned; thanne may he telle; / so that his entente ne be nat to bakbyte the persone, but only to declaren his confessioun. /

§ 90. Thou ne shall nat eek make no lesinges in thy confessioun; for humilitee, per-aventure, to seyn that thou hast doon sinnes of whiche that thou were nevere gilty. / For Seint Augustin seith: if thou, by cause of thyn humilitee, makest lesinges on thy-self, though thou ne were nat in sinne biforn, yet artow thanne in sinne thurgh thy lesinges. /1020 Thou most eek shewe thy sinne by thyn owene propre mouth, but thou be wexe doumb, and nat by no lettre; for thou that hast doon the sinne, thou shalt have the shame therfore. / Thou shalt nat eek peynte thy confessioun by faire subtile wordes, to covere the more thy sinne; for thanne bigylestow thy-self and nat the preest; thou most tellen it pleynly, be it nevere so foul ne so horrible. / Thou shalt eek shryve thee to a preest that is discreet to conseille thee, and eek thou shalt nat shryve thee for veyne glorie, ne for ypocrisye, ne for no cause, but only for the doute of Iesu Crist and the hele of thy soule. / Thou shalt nat eek renne to the preest sodeynly, to tellen him lightly thy sinne, as who-so telleth a Iape or a tale, but avysely and with greet devocioun. / And generally, shryve thee ofte. If thou ofte falle, ofte thou aryse by confessioun. /1025 And thogh thou shryve thee ofter than ones of sinne, of which thou hast be shriven, it is the more merite. And, as seith seint Augustin, thou shalt have the more lightly relesing and grace of god, bothe of sinne and of peyne. / And certes, ones a yere atte leeste wey it is laweful for to been housled; for certes ones a yere alle thinges renovellen. /

1021. Cm. Pt. wexe; E. Hl. woxe. 1023. E. om. 2nd thee.

=Explicit secunda pars penitencie; et sequitur tercia pars eiusdem, de satisfaccione.=

§ 91. Now have I told you of verray Confessioun, that is the seconde partie of Penitence. /

1028. E. toolde.

[640] The thridde partie of Penitence is Satisfaccioun; and that stant most generally in almesse and in bodily peyne. / Now been ther three manere of almesses; contricion of herte, where a man offreth himself to god; another is, to han pitee of defaute of hise neighebores; and the thridde is, in yevinge of good conseil goostly and bodily, where men han nede, and namely in sustenaunce of mannes fode. /1030 And tak keep, that a man hath need of thise thinges generally; he hath need of fode, he hath nede of clothing, and herberwe, he hath nede of charitable conseil, and visitinge in prisone and in maladie, and sepulture of his dede body. / And if thou mayst nat visite the nedeful with thy persone, visite him by thy message and by thy yiftes. / Thise been generally almesses or werkes of charitee of hem that han temporel richesses or discrecioun in conseilinge. Of thise werkes shaltow heren at the day of dome. /

1031. Hl. keep; Pt. Ln. kepe; E. Cm. om. 1033. E. temporeel.

§ 92. Thise almesses shaltow doon of thyne owene propre thinges, and hastily, and prively if thou mayst; / but nathelees, if thou mayst nat doon it prively, thou shalt nat forbere to doon almesse though men seen it; so that it be nat doon for thank of the world, but only for thank of Iesu Crist. /1035 For as witnesseth Seint Mathew, capitulo quinto, ‘A citee may nat been hid that is set on a montayne; ne men lighte nat a lanterne and put it under a busshel; but men sette it on a candle-stikke, to yeve light to the men in the hous. / Right so shal youre light lighten bifore men, that they may seen youre gode werkes, and glorifie youre fader that is in hevene.’ /

§ 93. Now as to speken of bodily peyne, it stant in preyeres, in wakinges, in fastinges, in vertuouse techinges of orisouns. / And ye shul understonde, that orisouns or preyeres is for to seyn a pilous wil of herte, that redresseth it in god and expresseth it by word outward, to remoeven harmes and to han thinges espirituel and durable, and somtyme temporel thinges; of whiche orisouns, certes, in the orisoun of the Pater-noster, hath Iesu Crist enclosed most thinges. / Certes, it is privileged of three thinges in his dignitee, for which it is more digne than any other preyere; for that Iesu Crist him-self maked it; /1040 and it is short, for it sholde be coud the more lightly, and for to withholden it the more esily in herte, and helpen him-self the ofter with the orisoun; / [641] and for a man sholde be the lasse wery to seyen it, and for a man may nat excusen him to lerne it, it is so short and so esy; and for it comprehendeth in it-self alle gode preyeres. / The exposicioun of this holy preyere, that is so excellent and digne, I bitake to thise maistres of theologie; save thus muchel wol I seyn: that, whan thou prayest that god sholde foryeve thee thy giltes as thou foryevest hem that agilten to thee, be ful wel war that thou be nat out of charitee. / This holy orisoun amenuseth eek venial sinne; and therfore it aperteneth specially to penitence. /

1039. E. espiritueel; temporele.

§ 94. This preyere moste be trewely seyd and in verray feith, and that men preye to god ordinatly and discreetly and devoutly; and alwey a man shal putten his wil to be subget to the wille of god. /1045 This orisoun moste eek been seyd with greet humblesse and ful pure; honestly, and nat to the anoyaunce of any man or womman. It moste eek been continued with the werkes of charitee. / It avayleth eek agayn the vyces of the soule; for, as seith seint Ierome, ‘By fastinge been saved the vyces of the flesh, and by preyere the vyces of the soule.’ /

1047. vyces (3)] E. vertues; Cm. vertu.

§ 95. After this, thou shalt understonde, that bodily peyne stant in wakinge; for Iesu Crist seith, ‘waketh, and preyeth that ye ne entre in wikked temptacioun.’ / Ye shul understanden also, that fastinge stant in three thinges; in forberinge of bodily mete and drinke, and in forberinge of worldly Iolitee, and in forberinge of deedly sinne; this is to seyn, that a man shal kepen him fro deedly sinne with al his might. /

§ 96. And thou shalt understanden eek, that god ordeyned fastinge; and to fastinge appertenen foure thinges. /1050 Largenesse to povre folk, gladnesse of herte espirituel, nat to been angry ne anoyed, ne grucche for he fasteth; and also resonable houre for to ete by mesure; that is for to seyn, a man shal nat ete in untyme, ne sitte the lenger at his table to ete for he fasteth. /

1051. E. espiritueel.

§ 97. Thanne shaltow understonde, that bodily peyne stant in disciplyne or techinge, by word or by wrytinge, or in ensample. Also in weringe of heyres or of stamin, or of haubergeons on hir naked flesh, for Cristes sake, and swiche manere penances. / But war thee wel that swiche manere penances on thy flesh ne make nat thyn herte bitter or angry or anoyed of thy-self; for bettre is to caste [642] awey thyn heyre, than for to caste away the sikernesse of Iesu Crist. / And therfore seith seint Paul: ‘Clothe yow, as they that been chosen of god, in herte of misericorde, debonairetee, suffraunce, and swich manere of clothinge’; of whiche Iesu Crist is more apayed than of heyres, or haubergeons, or hauberkes. /

1052. or by] E. and by. 1053. nat ... bitter] E. Cm. thee nat. 1053. sikernesse] Pt. Ln. Hl. swetnesse.

§ 98. Thanne is disciplyne eek in knokkinge of thy brest, in scourginge with yerdes, in knelinges, in tribulacions; /1055 in suffringe paciently wronges that been doon to thee, and eek in pacient suffraunce of maladies, or lesinge of worldly catel, or of wyf, or of child, or othere freendes. /

§ 99. Thanne shaltow understonde, whiche thinges destourben penaunce; and this is in foure maneres, that is, drede, shame, hope, and wanhope, that is, desperacion. / And for to speke first of drede; for which he weneth that he may suffre no penaunce; / ther-agayns is remedie for to thinke, that bodily penaunce is but short and litel at regard of the peyne of helle, that is so cruel and so long, that it lasteth with-outen ende. /

1058. weneth] E. demeth. 1059. E. crueel; peynes.

§ 100. Now again the shame that a man hath to shryven him, and namely, thise ypocrites that wolden been holden so parfite that they han no nede to shryven hem; /1060 agayns that shame, sholde a man thinke that, by wey of resoun, that he that hath nat been ashamed to doon foule thinges, certes him oghte nat been ashamed to do faire thinges, and that is confessiouns. / A man sholde eek thinke, that god seeth and wool alle hise thoghtes and alle hise werkes; to him may no thing been hid ne covered. / Men sholden eek remembren hem of the shame that is to come at the day of dome, to hem that been nat penitent and shriven in this present lyf. / For alle the creatures in erthe and in helle shullen seen apertly al that they hyden in this world. /

1061. ashamed (1)] E. shamed.

§ 101. Now for to speken of the hope of hem that been necligent and slowe to shryven hem, that stant in two maneres. /1065 That oon is, that he hopeth for to live longe and for to purchacen muche richesse for his delyt, and thanne he wol shryven him; and, as he seith, him semeth thanne tymely y-nough to come to shrifte. Another is, surquidrie that he hath in Cristes mercy. / Agayns the firste vyce, he shal thinke, that oure lyf is in no sikernesse; and eek that alle the richesses in this world ben in aventure, and passen as a shadwe on the wal. / And, as seith seint Gregorie, [643] that it aperteneth to the grete rightwisnesse of god, that nevere shal the peyne stinte of hem that nevere wolde withdrawen hem fro sinne, hir thankes, but ay continue in sinne; for thilke perpetuel wil to do sinne shul they han perpetuel peyne. /

1065. E. om. the. 1069. E. perpetueel (twice).

§ 102. Wanhope is in two maneres: the firste wanhope is in the mercy of Crist; that other is that they thinken, that they ne mighte nat longe persevere in goodnesse. /1070 The firste wanhope comth of that he demeth that he hath sinned so greetly and so ofte, and so longe leyn in sinne, that he shal nat be saved. / Certes, agayns that cursed wanhope sholde he thinke, that the passion of Iesu Crist is more strong for to unbinde than sinne is strong for to binde. / Agayns the seconde wanhope, he shal thinke, that as ofte as he falleth he may aryse agayn by penitence. And thogh he never so longe have leyn in sinne, the mercy of Crist is alwey redy to receiven him to mercy. / Agayns the wanhope, that he demeth that he sholde nat longe persevere in goodnesse, he shal thinke, that the feblesse of the devel may no-thing doon but-if men wol suffren him; / and eek he shal han strengthe of the help of god, and of al holy chirche, and of the proteccioun of aungels, if him list. /1075

§ 103. Thanne shal men understonde what is the fruit of penaunce; and, after the word of Iesu Crist, it is the endelees blisse of hevene, / ther Ioye hath no contrarioustee of wo ne grevaunce, ther alle harmes been passed of this present lyf; ther-as is the sikernesse fro the peyne of helle; ther-as is the blisful companye that reioysen hem everemo, everich of otheres Ioye; / ther-as the body of man, that whylom was foul and derk, is more cleer than the sonne; ther-as the body, that whylom was syk, freele, and feble, and mortal, is inmortal, and so strong and so hool that ther may no-thing apeyren it; / ther-as ne is neither hunger, thurst, ne cold, but every soule replenissed with the sighte of the parfit knowinge of god. / This blisful regne may men purchace by poverte espirituel, and the glorie by lowenesse; the plentee of Ioye by hunger and thurst, and the reste by travaille; and the lyf by deeth and mortificacion of sinne. /1080

1078. E. fieble. 1080. E. espiritueel; om. deeth and.

[644] =Here taketh the makere of this book his leve.=

§ 104. Now preye I to hem alle that herkne this litel tretis or rede, that if ther be any thing in it that lyketh hem, that ther-of they thanken oure lord Iesu Crist, of whom procedeth al wit and al goodnesse. / And if ther be any thing that displese hem, I preye hem also that they arrette it to the defaute of myn unconninge, and nat to my wil, that wolde ful fayn have seyd bettre if I hadde had conninge. / For oure boke seith, ‘al that is writen is writen for oure doctrine’; and that is myn entente. / Wherfore I biseke yow mekely for the mercy of god, that ye preye for me, that Crist have mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes: / —and namely, of my translacions and endytinges of worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in my retracciouns: /1085 as is the book of Troilus; The book also of Fame; The book of the nynetene Ladies; The book of the Duchesse; The book of seint Valentynes day of the Parlement of Briddes; The tales of Caunterbury, thilke that sounen in-to sinne; / The book of the Leoun; and many another book, if they were in my remembrance; and many a song and many a lecherous lay; that Crist for his grete mercy foryeve me the sinne. / But of the translacion of Boece de Consolacione, and othere bokes of Legendes of seintes, and omelies, and moralitee, and devocioun, / that thanke I oure lord Iesu Crist and his blisful moder, and alle the seintes of hevene; / bisekinge hem that they from hennes-forth, un-to my lyves ende, sende me grace to biwayle my giltes, and to studie to the salvacioun of my soule:—and graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun and satisfaccioun to doon in this present lyf; /1090 thurgh the benigne grace of him that is king of kinges and preest over alle preestes, that boghte us with the precious blood of his herte; / so that I may been oon of hem at the day of dome that shulle be saved: Qui cum patre, &c. /1092

1086. E. Pt. xxv; Ln. xv; Hl. 29; read nynetene.

=Here is ended the book of the Tales of Caunterbury, compiled by Geffrey Chaucer, of whos soule Iesu Crist have mercy. Amen.=

[645]

* * * * *

APPENDIX TO GROUP A.

THE TALE OF GAMELYN.

* * * * *

Litheth, and lesteneth · and herkeneth aright, And ye schulle heere a talking · of a doughty knight; Sire Iohan of Boundys · was his righte name, He cowde of norture y-nough · and mochil of game. Thre sones the knight hadde · that with his body he wan; 5 The eldest was a moche schrewe · and sone he bigan. His bretheren loved wel here fader · and of him were agast, The eldest deserved his fadres curs · and had it at the last. The goode knight his fader · livede so yore, That deth was comen him to · and handled him ful sore. 10 The goode knight cared sore · syk ther he lay, How his children scholde · liven after his day. He hadde ben wyde-wher · but non housbond he was, Al the lond that he hadde · it was verrey purchas. Fayn he wolde it were · dressed among hem alle, 15 That ech of hem hadde his part · as it mighte falle. Tho sente he in-to cuntre · after wyse knightes, To helpe delen his londes · and dressen hem to-rightes. He sente hem word by lettres · they schulden hye blyve, If they wolde speke with him · whyl he was on lyve. 20

N.B.—Hl.=Harleian MS. no. 7334 (taken as the foundation of the text); Harl.=Harleian MS. no. 1758; Cp.=MS. Corp. Chr. Coll. Oxford; Ln.=Lansdowne MS. no. 851; Pt.=Petworth MS.; Rl.=MS. Royal 18 c.ii; Sl.= MS. Sloane, no. 1685. Note that Cp. and Ln. are next in value to Hl., and often agree with it as against the rest.

1. Cp. lesteneth; Sl. Ln. listeneth; Hl. lestneth. Cp. herkeneth; Rl. Sl. herkenyth; Hl. herkneth. 2. Cp. schulle; Ln. schullen; Hl. schul. Hl. a talkyng; rest om. 3. Hl. right; rest om.; read righte. 4. Hl. ynough; rest om. 5. Cp. hadde; Rl. Sl. Pt. Ln. had; Hl. om. 14. Cp. Rl. hadde; Hl. had (and in l. 16). 15. Cp. Ln. wolde; Hl. wold. Hl. amonges; rest among; see l. 36. 16. Hl. might. 17. Cp. Sl. Rl. Pt. Ln. sente; Hl. sent. So in l. 19, where the MSS. wrongly have sent.

Tho the knightes herden · syk that he lay, Hadde they no reste · nother night ne day, Til they comen to him · ther he lay stille On his deth-bedde · to abyde goddes wille. Than seyde the goode knight · syk ther he lay, 25 ‘Lordes, I you warne · for soth, withoute nay, I may no lenger liven · heer in this stounde; [646] For thurgh goddes wille · deth draweth me to grounde.’ Ther nas non of hem alle · that herde him aright, That they ne hadden reuthe · of that ilke knight, 30 And seyde, ‘sir, for goddes love · ne dismay you nought; God may do bote of bale · that is now y-wrought.’

21. Hl. ther; rest that. 27. Hl. Cp. lengere; Ln, longer; rest lenger. 29. Sl. Cp. Ln. herde; Hl. herd. 30. Harl. Pt. ne; rest om.

Than spak the goode knight · syk ther he lay, ‘Boote of bale god may sende · I wot it is no nay; But I byseke you, knightes · for the love of me, 35 Goth and dresseth my lond · among my sones three. And sires, for the love of god · deleth hem nat amis, And forgetith nat Gamelyn · my yonge sone that is. Taketh heed to that on · as wel as to that other; Selde ye see ony eyr · helpen his brother.’ 40

36. Hl. thre. 37. Hl. And sires; rest om. sires.

Tho leete they the knight lyen · that was nought in hele, And wenten in-to counsel · his londes for to dele; For to delen hem alle · to oon, that was her thought, And for Gamelyn was yongest · he schulde have nought. Al the lond that ther was · they dalten it in two, 45 And leeten Gamelyn the yonge · withoute londe go, And ech of hem seyde · to other ful lowde, His bretheren mighte yeve him lond · whan he good cowde. Whan they hadde deled · the lond at here wille, They comen ayein to the knight · ther he lay ful stille, 50 And tolden him anon-right · how they hadden wrought; And the knight ther he lay · lyked it right nought. Than seyde the knight · ‘by seynt Martyn, For al that ye have y-doon · yit is the lond myn; For goddes love, neyhebours · stondeth alle stille, 55 And I wil dele my lond · right after my wille. Iohan, myn eldeste sone · schal have plowes fyve, That was my fadres heritage · whyl he was on lyve; And my middeleste sone · fyve plowes of lond, That I halp for to gete · with my righte hond; 60 And al myn other purchas · of londes and leedes, That I biquethe Gamelyn · and alle my goode steedes. And I biseke yow, goode men · that lawe conne of londe, For Gamelynes love · that my queste stonde.’ Thus dalte the knight · his lond by his day, 65 Right on his deth-bedde · syk ther he lay; And sone aftirward · he lay stoon-stille, And deyde whan tyme com · as it was Cristes wille. [647] And anon as he was deed · and under gras y-grave, Sone the elder brother · gyled the yonge knave; 70 He took into his hond · his lond and his leede, And Gamelyn himselfe · to clothen and to feede. He clothed him and fedde him · yvel and eek wrothe, And leet his londes for-fare · and his houses bothe, His parkes and his woodes · and dede nothing wel; 75 And seththen he it aboughte · on his faire fel. So longe was Gamelyn · in his brotheres halle, For the strengest, of good wil · they doutiden him alle; Ther was non ther-inne · nowther yong ne old, That wolde wraththe Gamelyn · were he never so bold. 80 Gamelyn stood on a day · in his brotheres yerde, And bigan with his hond · to handlen his berde; He thoughte on his londes · that layen unsawe, And his faire okes · that down were y-drawe; His parkes were y-broken · and his deer bireved; 85 Of alle his goode steedes · noon was him bileved; His howses were unhiled · and ful yvel dight; Tho thoughte Gamelyn · it wente nought aright. Afterward cam his brother · walkinge thare, And seyde to Gamelyn · ‘is our mete yare?’ 90 Tho wraththed him Gamelyn · and swor by goddes book, ‘Thou schalt go bake thy-self · I wil nought be thy cook!’ ‘How? brother Gamelyn · how answerest thou now? Thou spake never such a word · as thou dost now.’ ‘By my faith,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘now me thinketh neede, 95 Of alle the harmes that I have · I tok never ar heede. My parkes ben to-broken · and my deer bireved, Of myn armure and my steedes · nought is me bileved; Al that my fader me biquath · al goth to schame, And therfor have thou goddes curs · brother by thy name!’ 100 Than bispak his brother · that rape was of rees, ‘Stond stille, gadeling · and hold right thy pees; Thou schalt be fayn for to have · thy mete and thy wede; What spekest thou, Gamelyn · of lond other of leede?’ Thanne seyde Gamelyn · the child that was ying, 105 ‘Cristes curs mot he have · that clepeth me gadeling! I am no worse gadeling · ne no worse wight, But born of a lady · and geten of a knight.’ Ne durste he nat to Gamelyn · ner a-foote go, But clepide to him his men · and seyde to hem tho, 110 [648] ‘Goth and beteth this boy · and reveth him his wit, And lat him lerne another tyme · to answere me bet.’ Thanne seyde the child · yonge Gamelyn, ‘Cristes curs mot thou have · brother art thou myn! And if I schal algate · be beten anon, 115 Cristes curs mot thou have · but thou be that oon!’ And anon his brother · in that grete hete Made his men to fette staves · Gamelyn to bete. Whan that everich of hem · a staf hadde y-nome, Gamelyn was war anon · tho he seigh hem come; 120 Tho Gamelyn seigh hem come · he loked over-al, And was war of a pestel · stood under a wal; Gamelyn was light of foot · and thider gan he lepe, And drof alle his brotheres men · right on an hepe. He loked as a wilde lyoun · and leyde on good woon; 125 Tho his brother say that · he bigan to goon; He fley up in-til a loft · and schette the dore fast; Thus Gamelyn with the pestel · made hem alle agast. Some for Gamelynes love · and some for his eye, Alle they drowe by halves · tho he gan to pleye. 130 ‘What! how now?’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘evel mot ye thee! Wil ye biginne contek · and so sone flee?’ Gamelyn soughte his brother · whider he was flowe, And saugh wher he loked · out at a windowe. ‘Brother,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘com a litel ner, 135 And I wil teche thee a play · atte bokeler.’ His brother him answerde · and swor by seynt Richer, ‘Whyl the pestel is in thin hond · I wil come no neer: Brother, I wil make thy pees · I swere by Cristes ore; Cast away the pestel · and wraththe thee no-more.’ 140 ‘I mot neede,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘wraththe me at oones, For thou wolde make thy men · to breke myne boones, Ne hadde I had mayn · and might in myn armes, To have y-put hem fro me · they wolde have do me harmes.’ ‘Gamelyn,’ sayde his brother · ‘be thou nought wroth, 145 For to seen thee have harm · it were me right loth; I ne dide it nought, brother · but for a fonding, For to loken if thou were strong · and art so ying.’ ‘Com a-doun than to me · and graunte me my bone Of thing I wil thee aske · and we schul saughte sone.’ 150 Doun than cam his brother · that fikil was and fel, [649] And was swithe sore · agast of the pestel. He seyde, ‘brother Gamelyn · aske me thy boone, And loke thou me blame · but I graunte sone.’ Thanne seyde Gamelyn · ‘brother, y-wis, 155 And we schulle ben at oon · thou most me graunte this: Al that my fader me biquath · whyl he was on lyve, Thou most do me it have · yif we schul nat stryve.’ ‘That schalt thou have, Gamelyn · I swere by Cristes ore! Al that thy fader thee biquath · though thou woldest have more; 160 Thy lond, that lyth laye · ful wel it schal be sowe, And thyn howses reysed up · that ben leyd so lowe.’ Thus seyde the knight · to Gamelyn with mowthe, And thoughte eek of falsnes · as he wel couthe. The knight thoughte on tresoun · and Gamelyn on noon, 165 And wente and kiste his brother · and, whan they were at oon, Allas! yonge Gamelyn · nothing he ne wiste With which a false tresoun · his brother him kiste!

44. Hl. schuld; Cp. scholde. 46. Pt. londe; Ln. lande; rest lond. 48. Hl. might; read mighte. 50. Hl. come aȝein; rest omit aȝein, and read comen, camen, co_m_men. 51. Hl. anon right; rest anon, anoon. 56. Hl. Pt. om. right. 59. Hl. fyf; rest fyue; see l. 57. 60. Read righte; MSS. right. 61. Ln. and of ledes. 64. Cp. bequeste. 66. Hl. bed; Cp. bedde; see l. 24. 69. Hl. And anon; rest om. And. 71. Hl. as his (for and his). 73. Hl. fed; rest fedde. 76. Cp. aboughte; Ln. abouhte; rest abought, abowght. 79, 80. Rl. Sl. old, bold; rest olde, bolde. 83. Ln. þouhte; rest om. the final e; see l. 88. 85. Hl. byreeued; rest om. by-. 103. Rl. Sl. Pt. Harl. om. for. 109. Hl. durst; Cp. durste; Ln. dorste. 112. Cp. lere; Hl. Ln. leren; rest lerne. 119. Hl. a staf had; rest hadde (had) a staf. 120. Hl. anon; rest om. 121. Hl. seyh. 123. Hl. of foot; rest om. 124. Hl. Ln. on; rest sone on. 128. Hl. the; rest his. 129, 130. Hl. eyȝe, pleyȝe; rest eye, pleye. 131. Hl. how; rest om. 133. MSS. omit final e in soughte. 137. Hl. Rycher. 138. Hl. Whil. 140, 146, 150, &c. Hl. the. 143. Cp. hadde I had; Hl. had I hadde. 144. Hl. he; rest thei. 148. Harl. Ln. if; Pt. wher; rest or. 150. Hl. Cp. Ln. Of; Harl. Of oo; Rl. Of a; Sl. Of o; Pt. Of oon. 151, 152. Ln. fel, pestel; rest felle, pestelle. 154. Hl. I; rest I it. 157. Hl. whil. 161. Hl. Cp. laye; Rl. leie; Sl. leye; Pt. Ln. ley. 164. Cp. þoughte; rest om. final e. Hl. eek; rest om. Hl. Cp. Ln. of; rest on. 165. For knight, Hl. wrongly has king. MSS. omit e in thoughte. 166. Pt. Harl. wente; rest went. Hl. kist; rest kissed; see l. 168.

Litheth, and lesteneth · and holdeth your tonge, And ye schul heere talking · of Gamelyn the yonge. 170 Ther was ther bisyden · cryed a wrastling, And therfor ther was set up · a ram and a ring; And Gamelyn was in good wil · to wende therto, For to preven his might · what he cowthe do. ‘Brother,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘by seynt Richer, 175 Thou most lene me to-night · a litel courser That is freisch to the spore · on for to ryde; I most on an erande · a litel her bisyde.’ ‘By god!’ seyde his brother · ‘of steedes in my stalle Go and chese thee the best · and spare non of alle 180 Of steedes or of coursers · that stonden hem bisyde; And tel me, goode brother · whider thou wolt ryde.’

169. Rl. lysteneth; Cp. lesteneth; Pt. listeneth; Hl. lestneth. 171. Hl. wrastlyng; Cp. wrasteling; Rl. wrastelynge; Pt. wrastelinge. 172. Hl. sette (wrongly); see l. 184. 173. Hl. good wil; Ln. wil; rest wille. 177. Hl. Pt. spore; rest spores. 178. Hl. byside; so in 183. 179. Hl. seyd; rest have final e. 180. Hl. the the. 181. For coursers, Hl. wrongly has course.

‘Her bisyde, brother · is cryed a wrastling, And therfor schal be set up · a ram and a ring; Moche worschip it were · brother, to us alle, 185 Might I the ram and the ring · bring home to this halle.’ A steede ther was sadeled · smertely and skeet; Gamelyn did a paire spores · fast on his feet. He sette his foot in the styrop · the steede he bistrood, [650] And toward the wrasteling · the yonge child rood. 190 Tho Gamelyn the yonge · was ride out at the gat, The false knight his brother · lokked it after that, And bisoughte Iesu Crist · that is heven king, He mighte breke his nekke · in that wrasteling. As sone as Gamelyn com · ther the place was, 195 He lighte doun of his steede · and stood on the gras, And ther he herd a frankeleyn · wayloway singe, And bigan bitterly · his hondes for to wringe. ‘Goode man,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘why makestow this fare? Is ther no man that may · you helpe out of this care?’ 200 ‘Allas!’ seyde this frankeleyn · ‘that ever was I bore! For tweye stalworthe sones · I wene that I have lore; A champioun is in the place · that hath y-wrought me sorwe, For he hath slayn my two sones · but-if god hem borwe. I wold yeve ten pound · by Iesu Crist! and more, 205 With the nones I fand a man · to handelen him sore.’ ‘Goode man,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘wilt thou wel doon, Hold myn hors, whyl my man · draweth of my schoon, And help my man to kepe · my clothes and my steede, And I wil into place go · to loke if I may speede.’ 210 ‘By god!’ sayde the frankeleyn · ‘anon it schal be doon; I wil my-self be thy man · and drawen of thy schoon, And wende thou into the place · Iesu Crist thee speede, And drede not of thy clothes · nor of thy goode steede.’

183. Pt. wrasteling; Ln. warsteling; rest wrastlyng, wrastlynge. 184. Hl. vp; rest om. 189. Hl. set; Ln. sete; rest sette. Hl. om. 1st the. 191. Hl. ride; rest riden, reden. Hl. Ln. at the; Cp. Pt. atte; rest at. All gate (wrongly); and thate (for that) in next line. 192. Cp. Ln. false: rest fals. 194. Pt. wrestelinge; rest wrastlyng, wrastlinge, wrestlinge. 197, 198. Hl. syng, wryng. 206. Cp. handelen; Hl. handil. 211. Hl. anon; rest om. 213. Hl. Cp. Ln. the place; rest om. the. Hl. the.

Barfoot and ungert · Gamelyn in cam, 215 Alle that weren in the place · heede of him they nam, How he durste auntre him · of him to doon his might That was so doughty champioun · in wrastling and in fight. Up sterte the champioun · rapely and anoon, Toward yonge Gamelyn · he bigan to goon, 220 And sayde, ‘who is thy fader · and who is thy sire? For sothe thou art a gret fool · that thou come hire!’ Gamelyn answerde · the champioun tho, ‘Thou knewe wel my fader · whyl he couthe go, Whyles he was on lyve · by seint Martyn! 225 Sir Iohan of Boundys was his name · and I Gamelyn.’ ‘Felaw,’ seyde the champioun · ‘al-so mot I thryve, I knew wel thy fader · whyl he was on lyve; And thyself, Gamelyn · I wil that thou it heere, [651] Whyl thou were a yong boy · a moche schrewe thou were.’ 230 Than seyde Gamelyn · and swor by Cristes ore, ‘Now I am older woxe · thou schalt me finde a more!’ ‘By god!’ sayde the champioun · ‘welcome mote thou be! Come thou ones in myn hond · schalt thou never thee.’ It was wel withinne the night · and the moone schon, 235 Whan Gamelyn and the champioun · togider gonne goon. The champioun caste tornes · to Gamelyn that was prest, And Gamelyn stood stille · and bad him doon his best. Thanne seyde Gamelyn · to the champioun, ‘Thou art faste aboute · to bringe me adoun; 240 Now I have y-proved · many tornes of thyne, Thow most,’ he seyde, ‘proven · on or two of myne.’ Gamelyn to the champioun · yede smertely anon, Of all the tornes that he cowthe · he schewed him but oon, And caste him on the lefte syde · that three ribbes to-brak, 245 And ther-to his oon arm · that yaf a gret crak. Thanne seyde Gamelyn · smertely anoon, ‘Schal it be holde for a cast · or elles for noon?’ ‘By god!’ seyde the champioun · ‘whether that it be, He that cometh ones in thin hand · schal he never thee!’ 250 Than seyde the frankeleyn · that had his sones there, ‘Blessed be thou, Gamelyn · that ever thou bore were!’ The frankeleyn seyde to the champioun · of him stood him noon eye, ‘This is yonge Gamelyn · that taughte thee this pleye.’ Agein answerd the champioun · that lyked nothing wel, 255 ‘He is a lither mayster · and his pley is right fel; Sith I wrastled first · it is y-go ful yore, But I was nevere in my lyf · handeled so sore.’ Gamelyn stood in the place · allone withoute serk, And seyde, ‘if ther be eny mo · lat hem come to werk; 260 The champioun that peyned him · to werke so sore, It semeth by his continaunce · that he wil no-more.’ Gamelyn in the place · stood as stille as stoon, For to abyde wrasteling · but ther com noon; Ther was noon with Gamelyn · wolde wrastle more, 265 For he handled the champioun · so wonderly sore. Two gentil-men ther were · that yemede the place, Comen to Gamelyn · (god yeve him goode grace!) And sayde to him, ‘do on · thyn hosen and thy schoon, [652] For sothe at this tyme · this feire is y-doon.’ 270 And than seyde Gamelyn · ‘so mot I wel fare, I have nought yet halven-del · sold up my ware.’ Tho seyde the champioun · ‘so brouke I my sweere, He is a fool that ther-of byeth · thou sellest it so deere.’ Tho sayde the frankeleyn · that was in moche care, 275 ‘Felaw,’ he seyde · ‘why lakkest thou his ware? By seynt Iame in Galys · that many man hath sought, Yet it is to good cheep · that thou hast y-bought.’ Tho that wardeynes were · of that wrasteling Come and broughte Gamelyn · the ram and the ring, 280 And seyden, ‘have, Gamelyn · the ring and the ram, For the beste wrasteler · that ever here cam.’ Thus wan Gamelyn · the ram and the ring, And wente with moche Ioye · home in the morning. His brother seih wher he cam · with the grete rowte, 285 And bad schitte the gate · and holde him withoute. The porter of his lord · was ful sore agast, And sterte anon to the gate · and lokked it fast.

217. Hl. Pt. durst; rest durste, dorste. 218. All but Hl. ins. a bef. champioun. 219. Hl. raply and; rest rapely (omitting and). 222. Rl. Harl. Sl. here. 224, 225. Hl. whil, Whiles. 227. Hl. al; rest om. 232. Hl. fynd; rest fynde, finde. 234. Hl. the. 236. Hl. gon to; Cp. Ln. gonne; rest gon. 242. Hl. tuo. 243. Hl. Ln. smartly; Rl. Pt. smertely; see l. 187. 245. All kast or kest. All left, lift; read lefte. Hl. thre. 247. Hl. smertly; see l. 243. 249, 253, 260. Hl. seyd; rest have final e. 250. Hl. Ln. comes; rest cometh; read it as comth. 254. Hl. the. 255. Hl. well_e_. 256. Hl. a lither; Cp. oure alther; rest alther. For fel, all have felle or fell_e_. 258. Hl. Cp. Ln. my; rest in my. Rl. Pt. Ln. handeled; Hl. Sl. Cp. handled. 260. Hl. eny; rest om. 267. ther were that] Pt. that; rest om. 273. H. brouk; Cp. Ln. brouke; Pt. broke. 274. Hl. beyeth; rest byeth, bieth. 279. Pt. wrasteling; Ln. warstelinge; Rl. wrastlinge; rest wrastlyng. 282. Cp. beste; Hl. Ln. best; rest om. ll. 281, 282. 287. Hl. ful; rest om. 288. Rl. Harl. sterte; rest stert.

Now litheth, and lesteneth · bothe yonge and olde, And ye schul heere gamen · of Gamelyn the bolde. 290 Gamelyn come ther-to · for to have comen in, And thanne was it y-schet · faste with a pin; Than seyde Gamelyn · ‘porter, undo the yat, For many good mannes sone · stondeth ther-at.’ Than answerd the porter · and swor by goddes berde, 295 ‘Thow ne schalt, Gamelyn · come into this yerde.’ ‘Thow lixt,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘so browke I my chin!’ He smot the wiket with his foot · and brak awey the pin. The porter seyh tho · it might no better be, He sette foot on erthe · and bigan to flee. 300 ‘By my faith,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘that travail is y-lore, For I am of foot as light as thou · though thou haddest swore.’ Gamelyn overtook the porter · and his teene wrak, And gerte him in the nekke · that the bon to-brak, And took him by that oon arm · and threw him in a welle, 305 Seven fadmen it was deep · as I have herd telle. Whan Gamelyn the yonge · thus hadde pleyd his play, Alle that in the yerde were · drewen hem away; They dredden him ful sore · for werkes that he wroughte, And for the faire company · that he thider broughte. 310 [653] Gamelyn yede to the gate · and leet it up wyde; He leet in alle maner men · that gon in wolde or ryde, And seyde, ‘ye be welcome · withouten eny greeve, For we wiln be maistres heer · and aske no man leve. Yestirday I lefte’ · seyde yonge Gamelyn, 315 ‘In my brother seller · fyve tonne of wyn; I wil not that this compaignye · parten a-twinne, And ye wil doon after me · whyl eny sope is thrinne, And if my brother grucche · or make foul cheere, Other for spense of mete or drink · that we spenden heere, 320 I am oure catour · and bere oure aller purs, He schal have for his grucching · seint Maries curs. My brother is a niggoun · I swer by Cristes ore, And we wil spende largely · that he hath spared yore; And who that maketh grucching · that we here dwelle, 325 He schal to the porter · into the draw-welle.’ Seven dayes and seven night · Gamelyn held his feste, With moche mirth and solas · that was ther, and no cheste; In a little toret · his brother lay y-steke, And sey hem wasten his good · but durste he not speke. 330 Erly on a morning · on the eighte day, The gestes come to Gamelyn · and wolde gon here way. ‘Lordes,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘wil ye so hyë? Al the wyn is not yet dronke · so brouke I myn yë.’ Gamelyn in his herte · was he ful wo, 335 Whan his gestes took her leve · from him for to go; He wolde they had lenger abide · and they seyde ‘nay,’ But bitaughte Gamelyn · god, and good day. Thus made Gamelyn his feest · and broughte it wel to ende, And after his gestes · toke leve to wende. 340

289. Hl. lestneth; Pt. listneþ; rest lesteneth, listenythe, listeneth, lysteneyth. Pt. Ln. ȝonge; rest yong, ȝong. 293. All yate, gate; and in the next line ther-ate. 295. Hl. berd. 300. and] Hl. Cp. he. 304. Hl. Cp. gert; rest girt. 306. Hl. Cp. fadmen; Pt. fadme; Rl. Sl. fadame; Ln. faþem; Harl. fadome. 312. Hl. maner men; rest om. Hl. has 2nd in; rest om. Hl. Rl. Pt. wold; Cp. Ln. wolde. 317. Hl. that; rest om. 318. Hl. while. Hl. thrynne; Cp. thrinne; Sl. Pt. þ_er_-inne; Ln. þ_e_re-inne. 323. Hl. nyggou_n_; Rl. Sl. nygon; Pt. nigon; Cp. Ln. negon. 328. Hl. myrth and; rest om. Hl. that was; rest om. that (as being understood). 330. Hl. Cp. durst; rest dorst. 334. Hl. y-dronke; rest omit y-. Pt. Ln. brouke; Rl. browke; Hl. brouk. 335. Hl. he; rest om. 337. Hl. wold. Hl. lenger abide; rest dwelled lenger. 339. Pt. feest; Hl. fest. MSS. brought, broght. 340. Hl. gestys; see l. 336. Hl. took; Ln. had take; Cp. tok_e_; Sl. to (sic); rest toke.

Litheth, and lesteneth · and holdeth youre tonge, And ye schul heere gamen · of Gamelyn the yonge; Herkeneth, lordinges · and lesteneth aright, Whan alle gestes were goon · how Gamelyn was dight. Al the whyl that Gamelyn · heeld his mangerye, 345 His brother thoughte on him be wreke · with his treccherye. Tho Gamelyns gestes · were riden and y-goon, Gamelyn stood allone · frendes had he noon; Tho after ful soone · withinne a litel stounde, [654] Gamelyn was y-taken · and ful harde y-bounde. 350 Forth com the false knight · out of the soleer, To Gamelyn his brother · he yede ful neer, And sayde to Gamelyn · ‘who made thee so bold For to stroye my stoor · of myn houshold?’ ‘Brother,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘wraththe thee right nought, 355 For it is many day y-gon · siththen it was bought; For, brother, thou hast y-had · by seynt Richer, Of fiftene plowes of lond · this sixtene yer, And of alle the beestes · thou hast forth bred, That my fader me biquath · on his deth-bed; 360 Of al this sixtene yeer · I yeve thee the prow, For the mete and the drink · that we have spended now.’ Thanne seyde the false knight · (evel mot he thee!) ‘Herkne, brother Gamelyn · what I wol yeve thee; For of my body, brother · heir geten have I noon, 365 I wil make thee myn heir · I swere by seint Iohan.’ ‘Par ma foy!’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘and if it so be, And thou thenke as thou seyst · god yelde it thee!’ Nothing wiste Gamelyn · of his brotheres gyle; Therfore he him bigyled · in a litel whyle. 370 ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde he · ‘o thing I thee telle; Tho thou threwe my porter · in the draw-welle, I swor in that wraththe · and in that grete moot, That thou schuldest be bounde · bothe hand and foot; Therfore I thee biseche · brother Gamelyn, 375 Lat me nought be forsworen · brother art thou myn; Lat me binde thee now · bothe hand and feet, For to holde myn avow · as I thee biheet.’ ‘Brother,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘al-so mot I thee! Thou schalt not be forsworen · for the love of me.’ 380 Tho made they Gamelyn to sitte · mighte he nat stonde, Til they hadde him bounde · bothe foot and honde. The false knight his brother · of Gamelyn was agast, And sente aftir feteres · to feteren him fast. His brother made lesinges · on him ther he stood, 385 And tolde hem that comen in · that Gamelyn was wood. Gamelyn stood to a post · bounden in the halle, Tho that comen in ther · lokede on him alle. Ever stood Gamelyn · even upright; [655] But mete ne drink had he non · neither day ne night. 390 Than seyde Gamelyn · ‘brother, by myn hals, Now I have aspyed · thou art a party fals; Had I wist that tresoun · that thou haddest y-founde, I wolde have yeve thee strokes · or I had be bounde!’ Gamelyn stood bounden · stille as eny stoon; 395 Two dayes and two nightes · mete had he noon. Thanne seyde Gamelyn · that stood y-bounde stronge, ‘Adam spenser · me thinkth I faste to longe; Adam spenser · now I byseche thee, For the mochel love · my fader loved thee, 400 If thou may come to the keyes · lese me out of bond, And I wil parte with thee · of my free lond.’ Thanne seyde Adam · that was the spencer, ‘I have served thy brother · this sixtene yeer, If I leete thee goon · out of his bour, 405 He wolde say afterward · I were a traytour.’ ‘Adam,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘so brouke I myn hals! Thou schalt finde my brother · atte laste fals; Therfor, brother Adam · louse me out of bond, And I wil parte with thee · of my free lond.’ 410 ‘Up swich a forward’ · seyde Adam, ‘y-wis, I wil do therto · al that in me is.’ ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘al-so mot I thee, I wol holde thee covenant · and thou wil me.’ Anon as Adames lord · to bedde was y-goon, 415 Adam took the keyes, and leet · Gamelyn out anoon; He unlokked Gamelyn · bothe handes and feet, In hope of avauncement · that he him biheet. Than seyde Gamelyn · ‘thanked be goddes sonde! Now I am loosed · bothe foot and honde; 420 Had I now eten · and dronken aright, Ther is noon in this hous · schulde binde me this night.’ Adam took Gamelyn · as stille as ony stoon, And ladde him in-to spence · rapely and anon, And sette him to soper · right in a privee stede, 425 He bad him do gladly · and Gamelyn so dede. Anon as Gamelyn hadde · eten wel and fyn, And therto y-dronke wel · of the rede wyn, ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘what is now thy reed? Wher I go to my brother · and girde of his heed?’ 430 ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘it schal not be so. I can teche thee a reed · that is worth the two. [656] I wot wel for sothe · that this is no nay, We schul have a mangery · right on Soneday; Abbotes and priours · many heer schal be, 435 And other men of holy chirche · as I telle thee; Thow schalt stonde up by the post · as thou were hond-fast, And I schal leve hem unloke · awey thou may hem cast. Whan that they have eten · and wasschen here hondes, Thou schalt biseke hem alle · to bring thee out of bondes; 440 And if they wille borwe thee · that were good game, Then were thou out of prisoun · and I out of blame; And if everich of hem · say unto us ‘nay,’ I schal do an other · I swere by this day! Thou schalt have a good staf · and I wil have another, 445 And Cristes curs have that oon · that faileth that other!’ ‘Ye, for gode!’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘I say it for me, If I fayle on my syde · yvel mot I thee! If we schul algate · assoile hem of here sinne, Warne me, brother Adam · whan I schal biginne.’ 450 ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘by seynte Charite, I wil warne thee biforn · whan that it schal be; Whan I twinke on thee · loke for to goon, And cast awey the feteres · and com to me anoon.’ ‘Adam,’ seide Gamelyn · ‘blessed be thy bones! 455 That is a good counseil · yeven for the nones; If they werne me thanne · to bringe me out of bendes, I wol sette goode strokes · right on here lendes.’

341. Hl. lestneth; Pt. listen; rest lesteneth, listenyth. 343. Hl. herkneth; rest Herkeneth, Herkenyth, Harkeneth. 346. MSS. thought. 350. Hl. I-take; rest taken. Cp. Ln. harde; rest hard. 351. Cp. Rl. Ln. false; rest fals. Hl. selleer; Cp. sellere; Ln. selere; rest solere (rightly; cf. toret in l. 329). 360. Pt. dethes; rest deth; see l. 24. 363. Rl. Sl. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 365. Hl. Cp. Ln. geten heir (heer, here); rest heir (heire, here) geten. 367. Hl. sayd; rest have final e. 376. Hl. forsworn; but see l. 380. 381. Hl. might; read mighte; rest vary. 382. Sl. Ln. hadde; Cp. hadden; rest had, hadd. 383. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 384. Cp. sente; Sl. sende; rest sent. 386. Hl. Rl. told; Ln. tolden; rest tolde. 388. Hl. ther; rest om. Cp. lokeden; rest loked; read lokede. 394. Hl. the; rest om. 400, 405, 432. All the (for thee). 407. Hl. brouk; Cp. Pt. Ln. brouke. 414. Hl. Sl. hold; rest holde, halde. After wil Cp. ins. lose, and Harl. helpe. 417. Hl. hand; Cp. handes; rest hondes. 424. Hl. Cp. rapely and; rest om. and. 430. Hl. Wher; Ln. Where; Cp. For; rest Or. 434. Ln. sonondaye; Hl. and rest sonday; read sonnenday or soneday. 437. Pt. Ln. Harl. bound fast; rest hond-fast (rightly). 438. All but Hl. ins. that bef. awey. 439. Hl. waisschen; rest wasschen, wasshen. 443. Hl. vnto; rest to. 450. Hl. I; rest we. 453. Ln. twynke; Hl. Cp. twynk; rest wynke, winke, wynk. 456. Hl. ȝeuyng; Cp. yeuyng; rest yeuen, ȝeuen, or ȝiuen. 457. Hl. thanne; rest om.

Tho the Sonday was y-come · and folk to the feste, Faire they were welcomed · both leste and meste; 460 And ever atte halle-dore · as they comen in, They caste their eye · on yonge Gamelyn. The false knight his brother · ful of trechery, Alle the gestes that ther were · atte mangery, Of Gamelyn his brother · he tolde hem with mouthe 465 Al the harm and the schame · that he telle couthe. Tho they were served · of messes two or three, Than seyde Gamelyn · ‘how serve ye me? It is nought wel served · by god that al made! That I sitte fasting · and other men make glade.’ 470 The false knight his brother · ther that he stood, Tolde alle his gestes · that Gamelyn was wood; [657] And Gamelyn stood stille · and answerde nought, But Adames wordes · he held in his thought. Tho Gamelyn gan speke · dolfully with-alle 475 To the grete lordes · that saten in the halle: ‘Lordes,’ he seyde · ‘for Cristes passioun, Helpeth bringe Gamelyn · out of prisoun.’ Than seyde an abbot · sorwe on his cheeke! ‘He schal have Cristes curs · and seynte Maries eeke, 480 That thee out of prisoun · beggeth other borwe, But ever worthe hem wel · that doth thee moche sorwe.’ After that abbot · than spak another, ‘I wold thin heed were of · though thou were my brother! Alle that thee borwe · foule mot hem falle!’ 485 Thus they seyden alle · that weren in the halle. Than seyde a priour · yvel mot he thryve! ‘It is moche scathe, boy · that thou art on lyve.’ ‘Ow!’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so brouke I my bon! Now I have aspyed · that freendes have I non. 490 Cursed mot he worthe · bothe fleisch and blood, That ever do priour · or abbot ony good!’ Adam the spencer · took up the cloth, And loked on Gamelyn · and say that he was wroth; Adam on the pantrye · litel he thoughte, 495 But two goode staves · to halle-dore he broughte, Adam loked on Gamelyn · and he was war anoon, And caste awey the feteres · and he bigan to goon: Tho he com to Adam · he took that oo staf, And bigan to worche · and goode strokes yaf. 500 Gamelyn cam in-to the halle · and the spencer bothe, And loked hem aboute · as they had be wrothe; Gamelyn sprengeth holy-water · with an oken spire, That some that stoode upright · fellen in the fire. There was no lewed man · that in the halle stood, 505 That wolde do Gamelyn · eny thing but good, But stood bisyden · and leet hem bothe werche, For they hadde no rewthe · of men of holy cherche; Abbot or priour · monk or chanoun, That Gamelyn overtok · anon they yeeden doun. 510 Ther was non of hem alle · that with his staf mette, That he ne made him overthrowe · and quitte him his dette. ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘for seynte Charite, Pay large liverey · for the love of me, [658] And I wil kepe the dore · so ever here I masse! 515 Er they ben assoyled · there shal noon passe.’ ‘Dowt thee nought,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘whyl we ben in-feere, Kep thou wel the dore · and I wol werche heere; Stere thee, good Adam · and lat ther noon flee, And we schul telle largely · how many that ther be.’ 520 ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘do hem but good; They ben men of holy chirche · draw of hem no blood, Save wel the croune · and do hem non harmes, But brek bothe her legges · and siththen here armes.’ Thus Gamelyn and Adam · wroughte right fast, 525 And pleyden with the monkes · and made hem agast. Thider they come ryding · Iolily with swaynes, And hom ayen they were y-lad · in cartes and in waynes. Tho they hadden al y-don · than seyde a gray frere, ‘Allas! sire abbot · what dide we now heere? 530 Tho that we comen hider · it was a cold reed, Us hadde ben better at home · with water and with breed.’ Whyl Gamelyn made ordres · of monkes and frere, Ever stood his brother · and made foul chere; Gamelyn up with his staf · that he wel knew, 535 And gerte him in the nekke · that he overthrew; A litel above the girdel · the rigge-bon to-barst; And sette him in the feteres · ther he sat arst. ‘Sitte ther, brother’ · sayde Gamelyn, ‘For to colen thy blood · as I dide myn.’ 540 As swithe as they hadde · y-wroken hem on here foon, They askeden watir · and wisschen anoon, What some for here love · and some for here awe, Alle the servants served hem · of the beste lawe. The scherreve was thennes · but a fyve myle, 545 And al was y-told him · in a litel whyle, How Gamelyn and Adam · had doon a sory rees, Bounden and y-wounded men · ayein the kinges pees; Tho bigan sone · stryf for to wake, And the scherref was aboute · Gamelyn for to take. 550

460. Hl. lest; Cp. leste. 461. This is Zupitza’s emendation; MSS. as they atte halle dore comen in. 463. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 464. Hl. wer; rest were. 467. or] Hl. other. 471. Ln. false; rest fals. 478. All but Hl. ins. to bef. bringe. 486. Hl. seyde; Pt. Ln. Harl. seiden. Hl. were; Cp. Ln. weren. 488. All but Hl. ins. sorwe and bef. scathe. 489. Hl. brouk; rest brouke, browke, broke. 495, 496. MSS. thought, brought; against grammar. 498. Ln. keste; rest cast. 504. Ln. fellen; rest felle, fell. 505. Hl. lewede; Pt. Ln. lewe; rest lewed, lewid. 507. Hl. besyde; Rl. by-siden; Sl. bisiden; Cp. besyden. 512. Pt. Ln. ne; rest om. Hl. him; rest hem (twice). Sl. Cp. quitte; Hl. quyt. 516. Hl. schan; rest shal, schal. 520. Hl. Cp. Ln. om. that. 531. Hl. om. we. 532. Hl. Pt. Ln. omit second with. 536. Cp. gerte; rest gert, girt, gerd. 540. Hl. colyn; Cp. coole; Ln. coly; rest colen 543. Rl. Sl. Pt. Harl. insert her (here) before awe; Hl. Cp. Ln. omit. 545. Hl. a; rest om. 550. I supply was; the two Cambridge MSS. have come; which the rest omit; see ll. 240, 785.

Now lytheth and lesteneth · so god yif you good fyn! And ye schul heere good game · of yonge Gamelyn. Four and twenty yonge men · that heelden hem ful bolde, Come to the schirref · and seyde that they wolde Gamelyn and Adam · fetten, by her fay; 555 The scherref yaf hem leve · soth as I you say; [659] They hyeden faste · wold they nought bilinne, Til they come to the gate · ther Gamelyn was inne. They knokked on the gate · the porter was ny, And loked out at an hol · as man that was sly. 560 The porter hadde biholde · hem a litel whyle, He loved wel Gamelyn · and was adrad of gyle, And leet the wicket stonden · y-steke ful stille, And asked hem withoute · what was here wille. For al the grete company · thanne spak but oon, 565 ‘Undo the gate, porter · and lat us in goon.’ Than seyde the porter · ‘so brouke I my chin, Ye schul sey your erand · er ye comen in.’ ‘Sey to Gamelyn and Adam · if here wille be, We wil speke with hem · wordes two or thre.’ 570 ‘Felaw,’ seyde the porter · ‘stond there stille, And I wil wende to Gamelyn · to witen his wille.’ In wente the porter · to Gamelyn anoon, And seyde, ‘Sir, I warne you · her ben come your foon; The scherreves meyne · ben atte gate, 575 For to take you bothe · schulle ye nat scape.’ ‘Porter,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so moot I wel thee! I wil allowe thee thy wordes · whan I my tyme see; Go agayn to the yate · and dwel with hem a whyle, And thou schalt see right sone · porter, a gyle. 580 Adam,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘looke thee to goon; We have foo-men atte gate · and frendes never oon; It ben the schirrefes men · that hider ben y-come, They ben swore to-gidere · that we schul be nome.’ ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘hye thee right blyve, 585 And if I faile thee this day · evel mot I thryve! And we schul so welcome · the scherreves men, That some of hem schul make · here beddes in the fen.’ Atte posterne-gate · Gamelyn out wente, And a good cart-staf · in his hand he hente; 590 Adam hente sone · another gret staf For to helpe Gamelyn · and goode strokes yaf. Adam felde tweyne · and Gamelyn felde three, The other setten feet on erthe · and bigonne flee. ‘What?’ seyde Adam · ‘so ever here I masse! 595 I have a draught of good wyn! · drink er ye passe!’ ‘Nay, by god!’ sayde thay · ‘thy drink is not good, It wolde make mannes brayn · to lyen in his hood.’ Gamelyn stood stille · and loked him aboute, [660] And seih the scherreve come · with a gret route. 600 ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘what be now thy reedes? Here cometh the scherreve · and wil have cure heedes.’ Adam sayde, ‘Gamelyn · my reed is now this, Abyde we no lenger · lest we fare amis: I rede that we to wode goon · ar that we be founde, 605 Better is us ther loos · than in town y-bounde.’ Adam took by the hond · yonge Gamelyn; And everich of hem two · drank a draught of wyn, And after took her cours · and wenten her way; Tho fond the scherreve · nest, but non ay. 610 The scherreve lighte adoun · and went in-to the halle, And fond the lord y-fetered · faste with-alle. The scherreve unfetered him · sone, and that anoon, And sente after a leche · to hele his rigge-boon.

551. Hl. lestneth; Cp. lesteneth. Hl. goode. 555. Rl. Sl. Pt. Harl. by her (here) fay; Cp. be way; Hl. Ln. away. 563. Hl. y-steke; rest om. 573. Cp. Ln. Harl. wente; rest went. 576. Cp. schulle; Hl. schul. Hl. na (for nat); rest not, nouht. 588. Hl. den; Pt. fenne; rest fen. 589. Cp. Ln. wente; rest went. 594. Hl. fle; rest to fle (flee). 602. Hl. comth; rest cometh. 603. So Hl.; rest sayde to. 606. Hl. vs; rest om. 608. Hl. tuo; rest om. 609. Hl. coursers; but see l. 617. 611. Hl. adoun; rest doun. 614. Hl. sent; Cp. Sl. sente.

Lete we now this false knight · lyen in his care, 615 And talke we of Gamelyn · and loke how he fare. Gamelyn in-to the woode · stalkede stille, And Adam the spenser · lykede ful ille; Adam swor to Gamelyn · by seynt Richer, ‘Now I see it is mery · to be a spencer, 620 That lever me were · keyes for to bere, Than walken in this wilde woode · my clothes to tere.’ ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘dismaye thee right nought; Many good mannes child · in care is y-brought.’ And as they stoode talking · bothen in-feere, 625 Adam herd talking of men · and neyh, him thought, they were. Tho Gamelyn under the woode · lokede aright, Sevene score of yonge men · he saugh wel a-dight; Alle satte atte mete · in compas aboute. ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘now have we no doute, 630 After bale cometh boote · thurgh grace of god almight; Me thinketh of mete and drink · that I have a sight.’ Adam lokede tho · under woode-bowgh, And whan he seyh mete · he was glad y-nough; For he hopede to god · for to have his deel, 635 And he was sore alonged · after a good meel. As he seyde that word · the mayster outlawe Saugh Gamelyn and Adam · under woode-schawe. ‘Yonge men,’ seyde the maister · ‘by the goode roode, I am war of gestes · god sende us non but goode; 640 [661] Yonder ben two yonge men · wonder wel a-dight, And paraventure ther ben mo · who-so lokede aright. Ariseth up, ye yonge men · and fetteth hem to me; It is good that we witen · what men they be.’ Up ther sterten sevene · fro the diner, 645 And metten with Gamelyn · and Adam spenser. Whan they were neyh hem · than seyde that oon, ‘Yeldeth up, yonge men · your bowes and your floon.’ Thanne seyde Gamelyn · that yong was of elde, ‘Moche sorwe mot he have · that to you hem yelde! 650 I curse non other · but right my-selve; They ye fette to yow fyve · thanne ye be twelve!’ Tho they herde by his word · that might was in his arm, Ther was non of hem alle · that wolde do him harm, But sayde unto Gamelyn · mildely and stille, 655 ‘Com afore our maister · and sey to him thy wille.’ ‘Yonge men,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘by your lewte, What man is your maister · that ye with be?’ Alle they answerde · withoute lesing, ‘Oure maister is y-crouned · of outlawes king.’ 660 ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘go-we in Cristes name; He may neyther mete nor drink · werne us, for schame. If that he be hende · and come of gentil blood, He wol yeve us mete and drink · and doon us som good.’ ‘By seynt Iame!’ seyde Adam · ‘what harm that I gete, 665 I wil auntre to the dore · that I hadde mete.’ Gamelyn and Adam · wente forth in-feere, And they grette the maister · that they founde there. Than seide the maister · king of outlawes, ‘What seeke ye, yonge men · under woode-schawes?’ 670 Gamelyn answerde · the king with his croune, ‘He moste needes walke in woode · that may not walke in towne. Sire, we walke not heer · noon harm for to do, But-if we meete with a deer · to scheete ther-to, As men that ben hungry · and mow no mete finde, 675 And ben harde bistad · under woode-linde.’ Of Gamelynes wordes · the maister hadde routhe, And seyde, ‘ye schal have y-nough · have god my trouthe!’ He bad hem sitte ther adoun · for to take reste; And bad hem ete and drinke · and that of the beste. 680 As they sete and eeten · and dronke wel and fyn, [662] Than seyde that oon to that other · ‘this is Gamelyn.’ Tho was the maister outlawe · in-to counseil nome, And told how it was Gamelyn · that thider was y-come. Anon as he herde · how it was bifalle, 685 He made him maister under him · over hem alle. Within the thridde wyke · him com tyding, To the maister outlawe · that tho was her king, That he schulde come hom · his pees was y-mad; And of that goode tyding · he was tho ful glad. 690 Tho seyde he to his yonge men · ‘soth for to telle, Me ben comen tydinges · I may no lenger dwelle.’ Tho was Gamelyn anon · withoute tarying, Maad maister outlawe · and crouned here king.

615. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 618. Cp. likede; Ln. loked; rest liked. 621. Hl. for; rest om. 625. Hl. And; rest om. 627, 642. Hl. loked. 627. Hl. the; rest om. 640. Cp. Pt. Harl. sende; rest send. Hl. non but; rest om. 643. Hl. ȝe; rest om. 652. Hl. Cp. They; Rl. Thei; Sl. Ln. Though. 654. Hl. alle; rest om. 655. Hl. sayd; rest add e. Hl. vnto; rest to. 663. Hl. heende; Cp. kynde; rest hende. 664. Hl. an (for 1st and). 665. Hl. seyd; Ln. seid; rest add e. 666. Hl. auntre; rest auenture me. Hl. Cp. Ln. to the dore; rest om. 673. Hl. for; rest om. 674. Hl. with; rest om. 679. Hl. ther; rest om. Hl. adoun; rest doun. 681. Hl. sete and; rest om. 682. Hl. seyd; rest add e. Hl. Pt. Ln. that oon ... other; rest on to an other. 688, 690. Hl. tho; rest om. 689. Hl. I-made; Cp. Sl. maad; rest made. 694. Cp. Maad; rest Made (badly). Cp. Ln. here; rest her.

Tho was Gamelyn crouned · king of outlawes, 695 And walked a whyle · under woode-schawes. The false knight his brother · was scherreve and sire, And leet his brother endite · for hate and for ire. Tho were his bonde-men · sory and nothing glad, When Gamelyn her lord · ‘wolves-heed’ was cryed and maad; And sente out of his men · wher they might him finde, 701 For to seke Gamelyn · under woode-linde, To telle him tydinges · how the wind was went, And al his good reved · and his men schent.

697. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 699. Rl. Sl. glad; rest glade, gladde. 700. Sl. Cp. maad; rest made, maade. 703. Hl. how; rest om. 704. So Hl. Cp. Ln.; rest and alle his.

Whan they had him founde · on knees they hem sette, 705 And a-doun with here hood · and here lord grette; ‘Sire, wraththe you nought · for the goode roode, For we have brought you tydinges · but they be nat goode. Now is thy brother scherreve · and hath the baillye, And he hath endited thee · and ‘wolves-heed’ doth thee crye.’ 710

‘Allas!’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘that ever I was so slak That I ne hadde broke his nekke · tho I his rigge brak! Goth, greteth hem wel · myn housbondes and wyf, I wol ben atte nexte schire · have god my lyf!’ Gamelyn com wel redy · to the nexte schire, 715 And ther was his brother · bothe lord and sire. Gamelyn com boldelich · in-to the moot-halle, And putte a-doun his hood · among the lordes alle; ‘God save you alle, lordinges · that now here be! But broke-bak scherreve · evel mot thou thee! 720 Why hast thou do me · that schame and vilonye, For to late endite me · and ‘wolves-heed’ me crye?’ [663] Tho thoughte the false knight · for to ben awreke, And leet take Gamelyn · moste he no more speke; Might ther be no more grace · but Gamelyn atte laste 725 Was cast in-to prisoun · and fetered ful faste.

712. Hl. om. 2nd I. 713. Hl. hem; rest om. Harl. boþe housbonde; rest myn housbondes. 715. Hl. came; see l. 717. 718. Rl. Sl. Cp. putte; rest put. 719. Hl. alle; rest om. 722. Hl. me; rest do me. 723. Cp. thoughte the false; rest thought the fals. 724. MSS. most, the e being elided. 725, 726. Rl. Sl. Cp. laste, faste; rest last, fast.

Gamelyn hath a brother · that highte sir Ote, As good a knight and hende · as mighte gon on foote. Anon ther yede a messager · to that goode knight, And tolde him al-togidere · how Gamelyn was dight. 730 Anon as sire Ote herde · how Gamelyn was a-dight, He was wonder sory · was he no-thing light, And leet sadle a steede · and the way he nam, And to his tweyne bretheren · anon-right he cam. ‘Sire,’ seyde sire Ote · to the scherreve tho, 735 ‘We ben but three bretheren · schul we never be mo; And thou hast y-prisoned · the beste of us alle; Swich another brother · yvel mot him bifalle!’ ‘Sire Ote,’ seide the false knight · ‘lat be thy curs; By god, for thy wordes · he schal fare the wurs; 740 To the kinges prisoun · anon he is y-nome, And ther he schal abyde · til the Iustice come.’ ‘Parde!’ seyde sir Ote · ‘better it schal be; I bidde him to maynpris · that thou graunte him me Til the nexte sitting · of deliveraunce, 745 And thanne lat Gamelyn · stande to his chaunce.’ ‘Brother, in swich a forward · I take him to thee; And by thy fader soule · that thee bigat and me, But-if he be redy · whan the Iustice sitte, Thou schalt bere the Iuggement · for al thy grete witte.’ 750 ‘I graunte wel,’ seide sir Ote · ‘that it so be. Let deliver him anon · and tak him to me.’ Tho was Gamelyn delivered · to sire Ote his brother, And that night dwellede · that on with that other. On the morn seyde Gamelyn · to sire Ote the hende, 755 ‘Brother,’ he seide, ‘I moot · for sothe, from thee wende, To loke how my yonge men · leden here lyf, Whether they liven in Ioye · or elles in stryf.’ ‘By god!’ seyde sire Ote · ‘that is a cold reed, Now I see that al the cark · schal fallen on myn heed; 760 For when the Iustice sitte · and thou be nought y-founde, [664] I schal anon be take · and in thy stede y-bounde.’ ‘Brother,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘dismaye thee nought, For by seint Iame in Gales · that many man hath sought, If that god almighty · holde my lyf and wit, 765 I wil be ther redy · whan the Iustice sit.’ Than seide sir Ote to Gamelyn · ‘god schilde thee fro schame; Com whan thou seest tyme · and bring us out of blame.’

728. Hl. Cp. heende; rest hende. 729. Hl. ther; rest om. 730. Hl. Cp. told; rest tolde. 734. Hl. anon right; Ln. ful sone; rest right sone. 737. Rl. Cp. beste; rest best. 739. Pt. Ln. false; rest fals. 741. Hl. anon; rest om. 744. Hl. Cp. maymp_ri_s. Hl. Sl. Ln. graunt; rest graunte. Hl. him; Cp. Ln. to; rest on. 747. Hl. forthward; rest forward. 749. Hl. if; rest om. 754. Hl. Cp. dwelleden; Ln. dwelden; rest dwellide, dwellid, dwelled. 755. Hl. Cp. heende: Rl. hynde; rest hende. 761, 766. MSS. sitte, except Hl. sitt in l. 766. Here sitte is subj.; but in l. 766 sit = sitteth. 765. Hl. hold; Rl. hold me; rest holde me. 765, 766. Hl. witt, sitt.

Litheth, and lesteneth · and holdeth you stille, And ye schul here how Gamelyn · hadde al his wille. 770 Gamelyn wente ayein · under woode-rys, And fond there pleying · yonge men of prys. Tho was yong Gamelyn · glad and blithe y-nough, Whan he fond his mery men · under woode-bough. Gamelyn and his men · talkeden in-feere, 775 And they hadde good game · here maister to heere; They tolden him of aventures · that they hadde founde, And Gamelyn hem tolde ayein · how he was fast y-bounde. Whyl Gamelyn was outlawed · hadde he no cors; There was no man that for him · ferde the wors, 780 But abbotes and priours · monk and chanoun; On hem left he no-thing · whan he mighte hem nom. Whyl Gamelyn and his men · made merthes ryve, The false knight his brother · yvel mot he thryve! For he was fast aboute · bothe day and other, 785 For to hyre the quest · to hangen his brother. Gamelyn stood on a day · and, as he biheeld The woodes and the schawes · in the wilde feeld, He thoughte on his brother · how he him beheet That he wolde be redy · whan the Iustice seet; 790 He thoughte wel that he wolde · withoute delay, Come afore the Iustice · to kepen his day, And seide to his yonge men · ‘dighteth you yare, For whan the Iustice sitte · we moote be thare, For I am under borwe · til that I come, 795 And my brother for me · to prisoun schal be nome.’ ‘By seint Iame!’ seyde his yonge men · ‘and thou rede therto, Ordeyne how it schal be · and it schal be do.’ Whyl Gamelyn was coming · ther the Iustice sat, The false knight his brother · foryat he nat that, 800 To huyre the men on his quest · to hangen his brother; Though he hadde nought that oon · he wolde have that other. [665] Tho cam Gamelyn · fro under woode-rys, And broughte with him · his yonge men of prys.

769. Hl. lestneth; Cp. lesteneth; Rl. Pt. listeneth. 770. Rl. Sl. Cp. hadde; rest had. Hl. Pt. al; rest om.. 771. Hl. aȝein; rest om.. 773. Hl. Cp. Ln. ȝonge; rest ȝong. 774. Hl. mery; rest om.. 775. Hl. talked; Rl. Pt. talkeden; Sl. talkiden. 779. Sl. Cp. Ln. hadde; Rl. hade; rest had. 782. MSS. might; the e being elided. 784. Cp. false; rest fals. 789. Hl. thought; see l. 791. 794. Hl. sitt. 800. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 804. Hl. his; rest om.

‘I see wel,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘the Iustice is set; 805 Go aforn, Adam · and loke how it spet.’ Adam wente into the halle · and loked al aboute, He seyh there stonde · lordes grete and stoute, And sir Ote his brother · fetered wel fast; Tho went Adam out of halle · as he were agast. 810 Adam said to Gamelyn · and to his felawes alle, ‘Sir Ote stant y-fetered · in the moot-halle.’ ‘Yonge men,’ seide Gamelyn · ‘this ye heeren alle; Sire Ote stant y-fetered · in the moot-halle. If god yif us grace · wel for to doo, 815 He schal it abegge · that broughte him ther-too.’ Thanne sayde Adam · that lokkes hadde hore, ‘Cristes curs mote he have · that him bond so sore! And thou wilt, Gamelyn · do after my reed, Ther is noon in the halle · schal bere awey his heed.’ 820 ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘we wiln nought don so, We wil slee the giltif · and lat the other go. I wil into the halle · and with the Iustice speke; On hem that ben gultif · I wil ben awreke. Lat non scape at the dore · take, yonge men, yeme; 825 For I wil be Iustice this day · domes for to deme. God spede me this day · at my newe werk! Adam, com on with me · for thou schalt be my clerk.’ His men answereden him · and bade him doon his best, ‘And if thou to us have neede · thou schalt finde us prest; 830 We wiln stande with thee · whyl that we may dure, And but we werke manly · pay us non hure.’ ‘Yonge men,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so mot I wel thee! As trusty a maister · ye schal finde of me.’ Right there the Iustice · sat in the halle, 835 In wente Gamelyn · amonges hem alle.

805, 806. MSS. sette, spette (wrongly). 807. Cp. wente; rest went. 808. Hl. gret; rest grete. 811. Hl. felaws; rest felawes, felowes. 816. Ln brouht it; Hl. om. it; rest it broughte; but read broughte him. 818. Rl. Sl, Pt. mote; Ln. mot; Hl. Cp. most. 819. Cp. reed; Hl. red; rest rede. 822. Hl. Pt. lat; rest late 826. for to in MS. Camb. Mm. 2. 5; rest om. for. 828. Hl. on; rest om. 829. Rl. bade; rest bad.

Gamelyn leet unfetere · his brother out of bende. Thanne seyde sire Ote · his brother that was hende, ‘Thou haddest almost, Gamelyn · dwelled to longe, For the quest is oute on me · that I schulde honge.’ 840 ‘Brother,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so god yif me good rest! This day they schuln ben hanged · that ben on thy quest; And the Iustice bothe · that is the Iugge-man, [666] And the scherreve bothe · thurgh him it bigan.’ Thanne seyde Gamelyn · to the Iustise, 845 Now is thy power y-don · thou most nedes arise; Thow hast yeven domes · that ben yvel dight, I wil sitten in thy sete · and dressen hem aright.’ The Iustice sat stille · and roos nought anoon; And Gamelyn clevede · [a-two] his cheeke-boon; 850 Gamelyn took him in his arm · and no more spak, But threw him over the barre · and his arm to-brak. Durste non to Gamelyn · seye but good, For ferd of the company · that withoute stood. Gamelyn sette him doun · in the Iustices seet, 855 And sire Ote his brother by him · and Adam at his feet. Whan Gamelyn was y-set · in the Iustices stede, Herkneth of a bourde · that Gamelyn dede. He leet fetre the Iustice · and his false brother, And dede hem come to the barre · that oon with that other. 860 Tho Gamelyn hadde thus y-doon · hadde he no reste, Til he had enquered · who was on the queste For to deme his brother · sir Ote, for to honge; Er he wiste which they were · him thoughte ful longe. But as sone as Gamelyn · wiste wher they were, 865 He dede hem everichone · feteren in-feere, And bringen hem to the barre · and sette hem in rewe; ‘By my faith!’ seyde the Iustice · ‘the scherreve is a schrewe!’ Than seyde Gamelyn · to the Iustise, ‘Thou hast y-yeve domes · of the wors assise; 870 And the twelve sisours · that weren of the queste, They schul ben hanged this day · so have I good reste!’ Thanne seide the scherreve · to yonge Gamelyn, ‘Lord, I crye the mercy · brother art thou myn.’ ‘Therfore,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘have thou Cristes curs, 875 For, and thou were maister · yit I schulde have wors.’ For to make short tale · and nought to tarie longe, He ordeyned him a queste · of his men so stronge; The Iustice and the scherreve · bothe honged hye, To weyven with the ropes · and with the winde drye; 880 And the twelve sisours · (sorwe have that rekke!) Alle they were hanged · faste by the nekke. Thus ended the false knight · with his treccherye, [667] That ever hadde y-lad his lyf · in falsnes and folye. He was hanged by the nekke · and nought by the purs; 885 That was the meede that he hadde · for his fadres curs.

837. Hl. beende; Cp. Pt. Ln. bende. 838. Hl. Cp. heende; rest hende. 843. Hl. om. the. Hl. Iugges; rest Iugge, Iuge. 845. Cp. Thanne; rest Than. 850. I supply a-two. 851. Hl. arm; rest armes. 854. Rl. Harl. ferd; Pt. feerd; Hl. Cp. fered; Ln. ferde. 855. MSS. sete. 857. stede] Hl. Rl. Cp. sete (wrongly). 859. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 861. Cp. hadde; Rl. hade; Hl. had (2nd time). 861, 862. Hl. rest, quest; see ll. 871, 872. 864. Hl. Cp. Ln. he; Rl. Pt. him; Harl. (1758) hym. 866. Cp. feteren; Hl. fetere. 872. Hl. om. good. 877. Hl. tarie; rest om. 878. Rl. Pt. Harl. quest; rest queste. 879. Cp. beþ; rest bothe, both. 880. Hl. om. the before ropes. Hl. Rl. Cp. wynd; rest wynde, winde. 883. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals. 884. Cp. hadde; Ln. hade; rest had. 885. Hl. Pt. nek; rest necke, nekke. 886. Rl. Cp. hadde; rest had.

Sire Ote was eldest · and Gamelyn was ying, They wenten with here frendes · even to the king; They made pees with the king · of the best assise. The king loved wel sir Ote · and made him Iustise. 890 And after, the king made Gamelyn · bothe in est and west, Chief Iustice · of al his free forest; Alle his wighte yonge men · the king foryaf here gilt, And sitthen in good office · the king hem hath y-pilt. Thus wan Gamelyn · his lond and his leede, 895 And wrak him of his enemys · and quitte hem here meede; And sire Ote his brother · made him his heir, And siththen wedded Gamelyn · a wyf bothe good and feyr; They liveden to-gidere · whyl that Crist wolde, And sithen was Gamelyn · graven under molde. 900 And so schal we alle · may ther no man flee: God bringe us to the Ioye · that ever schal be!

888. Hl. They; rest om. Hl. freendes. Hl. euen to; Rl. Harl. and passeden to; Pt. and passed to; Cp. and passed with; Ln. and pesed with. 892. Hl. al; rest om. 896. Cp. Pt. quitte; Hl. quyt. 902. Ln. bringe; rest bryng, bring.

* * * * *

END OF VOL. IV.

NOTES

[1] Not the same MS. as that called ‘Harl.’ in the foot-notes to Gamelyn.

[2] It only contains the clerk’s Tale; see Reliquiae, ii. 68. The Longleat MS. no. 25, belonging to the Marquis of Bath, contains both the Knight’s Tale and the Clerk’s Tale.

[3] i.e. the gen. case of physice; ‘Magister Artium et Physices’ occurs in Longfellow’s Golden Legend, § vi.

[4] Tyrwhitt counts 252_b_ and 252_c_ as 253 and 254; but omits 3155, 3156; hence, in 3157-3720, the numbering is alike in the Six-text and T. He then omits 3721, 3722, making a difference of two lines. Wright follows Tyrwhitt’s numbering in Group A, and in B 1-1162.

[5] T. counts B 1982, 1983 as one line; so also B 2002, 2003, and B 2012, 2013, and B 2076, 2077, making a difference of four lines; but, on the other hand, he expands B 1993 into three lines; hence, on the whole, a difference of two lines in this portion. See pp. 192, 193, and note to B 1993 in vol. v.

[6] Wright counts the lines as I do, but his numbering is in one place incorrect; after the line which he calls 15260, he counts the next thirteen lines as ten.

[7] As in the Six-text, I call each clause of Melibeus between the sloping marks a line, and so number it. So also in the Parson’s Tale.

[8] T. cuts up the Tale into paragraphs. So also in the Parson’s Tale (Group I). I have numbered these, for convenience; see head-lines, pp. 199-240.

[9] Sixteen lines short in Wright, because the Epilogue to the Nonne Prestes Tale (see p. 289) is relegated to a footnote.

[10] Twelve lines short; T. omits E 1305-6, F 671-2, 1455-6, 1493-8. Wright keeps E 1305-6, but does not count them, and omits the other ten.

[11] The dash (—) shews where the Groups end or are interrupted.

[12] The order of the divisions of this tale is different. The ‘modern instances,’ viz. Peter of Spain, Peter of Cyrus, Barnabo of Lombardy, and Ugolino of Pisa are placed at the end instead of coming in the middle.

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